Crusaders of the Silver Cross
by RBFullMetal
Summary: Takes place after Neogyps. Allen has disappeared after a mission in Istanbul and the Central has labeled him "K.I.A". 1 and a half years later,when they receive a lead for Allen, Komui send a team to investigate, and they found others like themselves...
1. Prologue

Crusaders of the Silver Cross

_**Prologue – w**__**hen the melody echoes, the clown vanishes...**_

"Allen, Lenalee and Kanda have been sent on a recognition mission in Istanbul. There were rumors about a Innocence user in the vicinities of Büyükçekmece, one of the districts in the lower Istanbul. Various testimonies about strange facts opened Central's ears, and a top team was made. Besides the three exorcists, Link and another two finders were sent as well. However, the Order didn't expect a full level 4's horde, and a strange Noah woman pulling their strings. When they turned to capture Allen, a huge war consumed the streets, and thus turned to a survivor's battle…"

**Istanbul – Turkey – Third Day**

"_This wasn't supposed to be like this._ _People were dying, the city was destroyed, and Allen was separated from them. One of the finders has died in her arms, and Lenalee's mind only had time to process the missing member of their team. The Noah's were after Allen, for reasons not knowed until now, and this was breaking her heart apart. Kanda had almost lost an arm and Link was running out of energy. The other finder was trying hard to not slow them down, but the level 4's were approaching._

_-I'll hold them down – the samurai said, Mugen shining in his hand_

_-No! We can't separate anymore! – Lenalee spoke, her tension rising even more - We already lost A… - she stopped after finishing the sentence. _

_They have been separated from Allen in their very first day in Istanbul__, and they've been fighting for their lives for two consecutive days, but she couldn't believe herself that Allen was lost. Not for the second time. She didn't want to feel like that again._

_-There's someone you need to find – Kanda spoke again, his voice harsh like always was, but she could notice a hint of worry in his tone. With a small smile, the finder in her arms and Link following closer, she took of to look for the Destroyer of time…_

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_

_Allen was tired. Running for hours, fighting high level akumas and trying to escape from a mysterious Noah could really worn you out. He danced in the street with the Sword of the Exorcism firmly in his right hand, fighting for life and to found his lost companions. The industries in the city were the only things that remained somewhat intact, but the places for him to hide were running low._

_-Now that's a fine mess. How could we get separated in the first day of the mission? – he said, trying to relieve the tension to organize his thoughts._

_Hiding in a wine cellar, he cursed himself . The smell of alcohol impregnated the air, and Allen could only protect his nose and mouth with a piece of his own uniform, while attempting to get out without being noted by the akumas._

_And then, a voice echoed in his head, and Allen found himself inside his mind, in a strange place, looking for someone who extremely resembles himself…_

_The 14 th._

-**What's the problem boy? Scared? – **_The noah spoke with a strong yet sooth voice._

_-You're…_

**-I'm you… or else, you're me. Let me out boy****. I can control them, set you free of the suffering.**

**-**_What the hell are you talking about? – Allen screamed – When you get out, you'll kill my friends! That's the kind of person a Noah is!!!_

**-It seems that you're misunderstanding something, lad. Or else, at least two things – **_His noah-self continued – _**First, the Noahs aren't human beings, persons, or anything you called us. What, you think we're at the same level as a simplistic man? Think, boy!!!**

_Allen was surprised with the seemed angry outburst of the 'immortal' one, but remained silent as the Noah spoke again._

**-The second thing… About killing your friends, who told you that? ****– **_he scorned, and this infuriated Allen – _**I could actually came to like them. Maybe they would forget about you…**

_-Shut up!!!! – Allen screamed, being more angry than he ever was – You're not a part of me, nor I'm a vessel for you!! I create my paths, and you won't have anything that I've achieved!_

**-Calm down, boy! I was teasing you…**

_Allen calm down, and the 14 th was actually surprised… Then he was laughing._

_-What're you laughing about? – Allen spoke again, the rage starting to rise once more_

**-I didn't ****think you would calm down. Sorry, nevermind… So, you still didn't said who told you about me.**

_The exorcist didn't want to elongate the conversation, so he decide to blurt out._

_-My master, General Marian Cross told me about you. _

_-_**Ah! Cross-chan… This bring memories. We've many adventures, y'know? How is that womanizer doing? Still drinking as a pig?**

_-He disappeared in the night he told me about you. – Allen said, still uncertain how to fell about that_

_The Noah straight himself, serious, and glared at Allen. The boy, not wanting to show fear, glared back. And then, the Noah smiled_

**-I like you boy. Really, ****you do look like your master – **_The 14 th said, and Allen didn't looked much happy with the statement. Even if he respected his master, he didn't want to become him._

**-It's a shame that you'll disappear… You could be useful boy. Very, very useful…**

_-I'm not going to disappear! _

**-Yes, you'll. It's just a matter of time. You see, I'm necessary. Cross did tell you to listen for me, didn't he? Even he didn't believe in you… - **_As the Noah continued, Allen was more silent than ever – _**It's all about the other side of the war boy. You're so focused with salvation and duty, that you're missing the subplots. **

_Allen was more and more intrigued. He decided to speak, but the Noah beat him_

**-I betrayed the Count, boy. We're in the same side, even if our****s motivation are different…**

_-What are you talking about?_

**-I'll leave for now boy. It's was good to talk for a while.**

_The Noah was disappearing, but he left a few last words to Allen: "It's almost time, boy. I'll leave a present for now…"_

_The 14 th disappeared, and then the scene changed : Exorcists corpses were laid in a camp with countless silver crosses. Next to him, he saw Lenalee grabbing his coat and smiling, while blood dripped from her mouth…_

_And then, a scream echoed in the night…_

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_

_Lenalee was alone. She didn't like to split the group, but it was better separate to cover more ground. Link set out with the finder, vowing to find Allen Walker._

_She was approaching a pillow fabric, when she heard a scream and her foot slipped, making her __collapse into a mountain of feathers. After bring herself up, she splint in the direction of the scream, whom she recognized: Allen._

_When she was near from the source, a explosion consumed the sky, and her mind has gone blank…_

_Speeding, she saw the level 4 retreating, and the mysterious Noah intoned a sorrowful song, __saying that the Clown of God had vanished…_

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_Okey Dokey, here's my first fic... I tried to set the story as much I could._

_This is a prologue, so the real story begins in the next chap_

_Any suggention or flames, please let me know :D  
_


	2. Memories of Sorrow

First, I would like to give my thanks to **dbzgtfan 2004, KitsuniXxxla, Bex the Hat, addenza, Astaline Nithingale, hana no toshiro** and **CrimsonKitsune333** for their kind words ^^

And a special thanks to **Sazerac**, whom give me her first review in theD. Gray fandom. I'm grateful for your words, it's always good to receive constructive criticisms ^^

I'm very honoured with everybody encouragement, and I hope we can developed a good friendship between author/reader

And so…

Let's get moving.

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**Chapter 1 - Memories of Sorrow**

A year and half had passed after the tragic mission in Istanbul. Central had dispatched a notification: there won't be any mission or assignment regarding Allen Walker. He was dead in the Order eyes , even if no sign of his demise was founded.

Komui had beginning that morning the same way he started them after Allen disappeared: Studying books, searching scrolls, gathering every bit of information he could muster. He was looking for something, anything, that could bring a ray of hope for them, anything that could give them a chance to believe that Allen was still alive. Drinking his bitter coffee, the one he made because someone wasn't there to give to him, Komui remembered the fateful return of the exorcists, in that evening that they come back from Istanbul…

_Flashback_

_Komui was worried: 3 days without any notice with the Istanbul team. The minute Lenalee announced that they've reached the city, all the contact with them worn off. Since then, they've trying to re-establish the communication again, reaching the Central, looking for a link that could give them some relief. Reever, Jhonny and the rest of the Science department was working non-stop. Every exorcist without a mission assigned was helping out._

_-We're without contact for 3 days, sir!!! – Komui __yelled on the phone – How the hell you expect me to be calm?_

_-I said calm down, Supervisor – Leverrier screamed from the other side – If you don't slow down and think, who'll lead your staff?_

_-Chief, we've got a phone call from the Vatican!!! – Reever shout, still trying to reach a link with __some exorcists on a mission in Greece, near to Istanbul._

_-Tell them to call later!!! We've a crisis here, goddammit!!_

_Rikei, Rou-fa and Shifu we're trying to coordinate the rest of Order's personnel, and Bak and Fou we're discussing with the Crow members._

_Johnny__ was reorganizing some papers that Komui's new assistant, Bridget Fay, has ordered him to, when he heard a noise. His eyes went wide and he sped up to the gate. When he arrived there, the gate was already semi opened, and all he could scream was: -They're back!!!!_

_The entire personnel left what they're doing and rushed to the gate. Komui ordered the medical personnel to come to the gate as well. Bak drove through people like a panzer tank. Everyone was in their way to the gate._

_However, when they arrived, what came to their vision was not what they expected: Two battered exorcists, one of the almost without an arm, a desolated crow member, and a barely alive finder._

_Komui was the first to speak, as he walked towards Lenalee:_

_-Lenalee, what happened? – he soothed, trying to coarce something from her._

_However, with tears downing her face, she activated her innocence and rushed to her room._

_-LENALEE!!! – Komui screamed, only to be interrupted by the finder._

_-Leave her be, Supervisor._

_Then, something clicked in Johnny's head, and he spoke his fears:_

_-Where's Allen?_

_With the mention of that name, sorrow clouded their vision, and Link finally said:_

_-We've lost him."_

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_

In the morning that completed 1 and a half years after Istanbul, Lenalee felt hopeless. In this passing time, she had dreamed with that mission. It still echoed in her mind that day's song:

"_A humorous jester dances_

_In a starless tipe of night_

_And when the shade of black advances_

_The clown no more see the light_

_-  
_

_He can't hear a sound_

_There's no life in his eyes_

_The smell of death surrounds_

_In this world full of lies_

-

_It's a ritmless blues_

_It's tears that were unsheded_

_When the melody echoes_

_The Clown of God had vanished_

-

_The jester's no more dancing_

_In this publicless stage_

_It's like the world had stop moving_

_Like a motionless image_

-

_It's a ritmless blues_

_It's tears that were unsheded_

_When the melody echoes_

_The Clown of God had vanished"_

As she remembered, tears had started again, and she almost miss the call from Komui.

-Lenalee-san, the Supervisor it's calling all the available exorcists to a meeting in the hall. – Rikei spoke with caution, aware of her state.

-Tell my brother that I'm not feeling well – she replied almost without emotion, evocating the same feelings she had that day.

-He said that it's something of your concerned.

Intrigued, she decided to go regardless her state of mind. When she reached the hall, Lavi, Kanda, Krory , Miranda and Link were already there. Lavi tried to bring a smile on her, but she passed him by and stopped face to face with her brother.

-What's this all about, brother? – she said, her voice cold and sooth.

As the words left her brother's mouth, a balloon of happiness and hope exploded inside her:

-We've a lead for Allen Walker.

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Annnnnd… Here's the chapter 1

I'm feeling that I've stretched a little too much… Gomen u.u

Anyways, any bad calligraphy, wrong words, sentences, plot hole, let me know and I'll try to fix. :D

Next Chap: The exorcists set out to Blackburn to look for Allen

Chap 2 will be named: "**Meeting a ghost**"

See ya :P


	3. Meeting a ghost

I'm changing all conversation from hyphens to inverted commas (thank you, Nikki). It'll be easier to read from now on

Enjoy ^^

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In the last chap…

""_What's this all about, brother?"she said, her voice cold and sooth._

As the words left her brother's mouth, a balloon of happiness and hope exploded inside her:

"_We've a lead for Allen Walker.""_

**Chapter 2 Meeting a ghost**

After Komui spoke, silence suddenly took over the hall. Even some by passers from the Order had stopped in their tracks. Minutes had passed in this silence, until Lenalee decided to speak:

"Is it true?"

Komui stared to his little sister. One and a half years of uncertainties was the time he hoped to erase, to bring back a Lenalee that vanished with Allen. Even if he hated to admit it, she was shifting away from his fraternal grasp and the white-haired boy was bringing a change on her. Honestly, Komui was starting to think that Lenalee smiled the best when she was beside Allen. And he wanted her back like she was: smiling and vibrant.

"Yes and no" he said, already expecting the protests.

"What do you mean, Komui?" Ravi spoke, sensing a "but" in this conversation

Komui glanced to Lenalee once more. He saw the old Lenalee when Allen's name was mentioned, but she reverted back quickly. Sighing, he started to brief the mission:

"Two days ago a small English town near Blackburn, was attacked by a group of level 3 akuma, and a S.O.S. call was sent to the Order. We dispatched a recognition team to check the situation. When they reached the source of the call, the town was destroyed. However, none of the citizens presented large injuries…"

Everyone attention seemed caught. Even Johnny (whom knew of the mission by Jerry) was there to. Komui paused a little, waiting to see if someone had a question. Nothing was said, so he took the chance to continue:

"The recognition team started to investigate what happened. None of the citizens seemed to have any memory concerning the incident. However, a little girl, who was hidden inside one of the ruined houses, said that she saw the moment when the level 3 were exterminated."

"She saw three cloaked persons, one she took as a woman, and the other two were guys. She said that one of the boys called the women "Alice", and this woman was manipulating something to open black holes anywhere she wanted."

"An innocence!" Miranda exclaimed

"Perhaps" said Bookman, whom had just arrived "it's seems like one."

Ravi and Kanda glanced in Bookman's direction, then back at Komui.

"Precisely. Some of the akuma were sucked in these black holes, and disappeared. Then one of the boys started to release a white smoke that covered the battleground. But the second boy was what got my attention, thus specific motive that I called all of you."

Hearing that words and anticipating its meanings, Lenalee's heart started to accelerate, racing an emotion she thought was lost.

"The other one slashed the akuma with a giant sword, with a cross in the middle. The two others called him "Taichou", and his hair was white like snow…"

"It's Allen!!! It has to be!" Johnny pointed, happy that his friend was alive after all.

The mood seems to be lighter, as the group's hope started to rise, until Komui spoke again:

"However… This man was immersed not in a white cape, but a black one, dark as the night, and all the akuma really feared him."

And so, the mood turned again. Expecting as much, Komui could only stare to their faces, hating himself for the not so good news. At this moment, Lenalee's eyes crossed with his, and she spoke:

"It's Allen-kun. I can tell."

Everyone went wide eyed. Komui was surprised as well, but when he saw the look in her eyes, he understood. And so, he finally said:

"The mission will start tomorrow morning. Be aware that none of the information regarding Allen Walker was passed to Central. This assignment was passed on with the purpose of innocence investigation, and that's all. You're dismissed for now."

When the group was leaving, Komui called Lenalle back one last time:

"What's it, brother?" she spoke, a small smile gracing her features.

"Good luck."

They were traveling for two days, and between sitting in a crowded train or walking never ending hidden tracks, Kanda decided that he liked the latter. With an annoying Ravi pestering him the entire way, he was considering to kill the bastard and deal with the consequences.

"Ne, Yuu, are we there yet?" Ravi asked for the tenth time in the last 30 minutes.

"No, we're not! And if you ask one more time, I swear you'll start to use a double eye-patch!" Kanda screamed, activating Mugen for better effect.

"Calm down, man! I'm just anxious, that's all."

The rest of the group was mostly quiet: Link was reading a report of the last mission, Bookman and Miranda were playing cards, and Lenalee was staring out of the window. Miranda noticed her and called.

"Lenalee-chan, won't you play with us? I'm sure this can distract you…"

"Yeah! Play with us!" said Ravi, now joining the two, sitting beside Miranda.

Bookman smacked him and apologized.

"I'm sorry, Lena-joou, I'll punish him properly later."

"I didn't do anything, you stupid panda! And Miranda said it before me! Smack her too!" Ravi said, only to be hit again.

Lenalee wasn't paying attention to anyone or anything. Her mind was solely concentrated on one thing: finding Allen.

It was night when they arrived in Blackburn. The vicinities seemed calm, but a heavy air surrounded the town. The group decided to split to cover more ground. This time, Lenalee didn't disagree. As they choose the pairs, a huge group of level 3 akuma surrounded them.

"It's an ambush!" Kanda cursed, activating Mugen.

"Everyone stay together!" Link commanded.

Just when the akuma were closing near them, a black hole appeared and swallowed one third of them.

"What the-?" Ravi asked, confused.

And so, another black hole appeared, and another third vanished. With the next hole, a hooded girl appeared.

"Who are all of you?" she asked, doubting they were citizens.

"Who are you?" Ravi retorted, sensing a strange power coming from the girl.

The girl grinned, and angered Kanda. When he was preparing to attack the girl, Lenalee intervened

"We're looking for someone."

As soon as she said that, a white smoke covered the battleground, engulfing the buildings and everything else.

"Stop joking with the enemies, Alice!" said a hooded guy who appeared across the field.

"You're not my superior, Ray! You can't tell me what to do!"

"Take it easy you two." said, the third hooded one, whom had just arrived.

"_Hai_, Taichou!" the two responded in unison.

When the smoke cleared, the exorcist group was still standing.

"Care to say who are you now?" Ravi spoke first. Almost all of them had activated their innocence… but Lenalee not. Her gaze seemed locked on the other group last member.

"What? My smoke didn't work on them?" Ray said, annoyed.

"They're not enemies" the other group "leader" spoke, his voice looking oddly familiar to the exorcist.

"This voice! It can't be…" Miranda cried.

Removing his hood, with longer white hair hanged in a small ponytail, a black eye-patch in his left eye and a silver cross earring in his right ear, a young man appeared, the same one who vanished like a ghost one and a half years ago. And then, with teary eyes, Lenalee could finally see that face again.

"Allen-kun…"

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Okaaaaaaaay… So, I'm a little late… I'm very very sorry ;_;

I got caught up with some problems here, but I'm already working on chapter 3 :D

So, the next chap probably will came out without delays

A big thanks to hana no toshiro, Astaline Nihtingale, addenza, WordlessDreams, MitarashiiDango, XxveryrandomxX, Neko-sama no Kokoro and salasana for the reviews.

And again, a special thanks to Nikki's fixing (you're a life safer ;P)

Next chapter, a little bit about Allen's "lost" time, some 14th revelations, and the truth behind the hooded ones

Chapter 3 will be "Painful Truths"

Stay tuned


	4. Painful Truths

In the last chap...

_Removing his hood, with longer white hair hanged in a small ponytail, a black eye-patch in his left eye and a silver cross earring in his right ear, a young man appeared, the same one who vanished like a ghost one and a half years ago. And then, with teary eyes, Lenalee could finally see that face again._

"_Allen-kun…"_

**Chapter 3 –Painful Truths**

Lenalee still couldn't believe it. Right in front her eyes was the same boy she thought that she would never see again. All the time she spent without the white-haired boy seemed so small now. When she looked at him again through, she saw that some things had changed. He wasn't a boy anymore, and he looked more mature that any of them thought he could turn. Aside other things, that black eye-patch bring some hurtful memories. Their first mission together. Their first encounter with a Noah. Their first fight.

She snapped back to reality thanks to the whines from one of the hooded ones.

"Why my smoke didn't work on them? Are they not civilians?" Ray protested

"As you can see, smoke-boy, they've an innocence. Perhaps your smoke had entered your eyes too?" Alice said, teasing him a bit. It was one of her favorite things.

"S-Shut-up! I already knew!" He retorted pitifully.

"Allllright. Can someone explain to me what's happening here?" Lavi asked, already confused by this settlement.

"What're all of you doing here?" Allen questioned, a little too harsh in his ex-companions eyes.

"We're here to bring Allen Walker back to the Black Order, just as was assigned to us by the headquarters' supervisor." Link answered dutifully, hiding his shock that the Allen he saw was unrecognizable as the one who had disappeared.

"You'll come with us, bean sprout. Back to where you belong." Kanda said, his voice the same as always.

"I can't go back to the Order." Allen said.

"Why not? It's not your home anymore?" Miranda insisted "Have you forgotten abou-" she was interrupted by Lenalee, who took the time to speak.

"Something happened, right? Something happened to you, and now you're scared to put people in danger because of that, isn't it?"

Allen didn't say a word, just continued to stare at her.

"You can count on us, you know? Doesn't matter what happened to you, we're still friends." Lenalee tried again. The last part was left unsaid "_You still have me."_

"If we must talk, first we have to leave this place. This it's almost a phantom city now, but there are some humans here. We can't be seen." Allen spoke again, already preparing to leave.

"Change places? To where?" Ravi asked.

After a moment, Alice turned around, a confident smile in her face.

"The Cathedral."

They were traveling non-stop for three hours, and still haven't reached this so called "Cathedral". No one in the group had talked yet, until Alice finally decided to speak.

"I'm tired of walking. Can't we just use my Smiling Cat to pop up a direct line to there?"

"If you activated it now, probably another group of akuma would attack. We're saving energy in case of another ambush. Besides, your _raisers_ are above the safety level. It's dangerous in both ways." Allen clarified. Now it became clear to the exorcists why they called him their 'Taichou'.

"H-Hai…" Alice almost whispered.

"What are those? This 'Smiling Cat' and this raiser?" Ravi said, already beaming with curiosity.

Alice looked to Allen, uncertain if she could reveal this. He stared back to her, then with a single nod approved.

"Let's make a quick stop. There are another questions too, I suppose?" The white haired 'captain' said.

They made their way to a nearby abandoned house, still in decent condition. It's was one of hidden places Allen's group used to stay when they were on a mission. As soon as they settled, Alice started her explanation.

"Well, like you must've seen, I can open a black hole anywhere I want. By activating this…" she pointed to her wrist. It was a black disc, similar in both shape and style to Miranda's innocence just smaller.

"It looks like innocence…" Bookman pointed.

"It's is an innocence." Alice affirmed.

"WHAT!" Ravi, Miranda, Link and Kanda cried in unison.

"Like she said, it's an innocence, just like my 'Mirrored Dreams'…"Ray said, pointing to his necklace, this one bearing a kanji that meant 'void' "With this, I can create incense-like smoke as long as there is oxygen to be found. If you're a normal human, it'll erase your memory from the last event you've experienced, similar to lacunar amnesia, loss of memory about one specific event. If you're an akuma, it'll create an illusion, transferring the target to another one. It's only helpful with large groups."

"And the reason you asked why didn't work with us…" Bookman tried, already absorbing the explanation.

"…it's because doesn't work with innocence users." He completed.

"There are no records in Central that there were still signs of rogue innocence still to be found in Europe, and nothing from past missions either," Link said.

Lenalee had yet to talk. Her eyes were glued to Allen's figure that was a little separated to the group. There're so many things she wanted to talk to him, but couldn't. Perhaps was the time to take the initiative. But Allen beat her, sitting right next to her and beginning to phrase his thoughts

"They're rookies. Still have much to learn, but they've great potential." Alice blushed, and Ray grinned like a boy whom just received praise from his parents. "However, what can bring their innocence to be under control are these…" He took Alice hand, whom blushed, and pointed to the other wrist, the one with three small bracelets "…the raisers."

"What're those things?" Ravi asked, nearing to Alice, who blushed even more.

"They're magic devices to control the innocence…" Allen spoke, knowing the implications of his words. "Of the ones believed to have fallen."

The exorcist group stared wide eyed the rumored Destroyer of Time. They knew it was near impossible to control someone who has already become a Fallen One. Allen's past experience with Suman Dark had proved that.

"What do these raisers actually do?" Miranda asked, still feeling a little intimidated.

Allen smiled to her, surprising everyone in the room. His companions seemed perplexed (Alice was blushing again), and the exorcists were somehow relieved…except that Lenalee and Miranda that were blushing themselves.

"As I've said, they're magic devices. One of it can raise your synchronization with the innocence by 15%." He explained.

They were stunned. Who actually would have the knowledge to develop something like that?

"Who created them?" Lenalee asked, trying to take part in the conversation.

"Father Lucius, our leader, was the one to finish the research, but the one who started it was a general exorcist whom used magic to control corpses." Alice said, still a bit embarrassed.

Another surprise, another round of wide eyes. There was only one exorcist with these qualifications that each of them knew of.

"Yes, it was my master, General Marian Cross." Allen said.

The room was silent again.

After the explanation of the raisers, they decide to spent the night in that abandoned house. Alice and Ray were a little exhausted, so then Allen thought that would be better if they had a good night of sleep, so he commanded then to arrange some of the sleeping bags they had on them for everyone else. Alice and Ray luckily did have enough for each of them, Miranda and Lenalee shared a large one, Lavi and Bookman (much to Lavi dismay) shared another. Kanda and Link sat down, leaning against the house's walls, and simply they decided to sleep like that, foregoing the bags themselves. After everyone had settled, Allen took the first watch and sat down at the window. It was there he sensed someone approaching him…Lenalee.

"Can we talk?" She asked, uncertain.

He looked at her and saw the happiness and doubt in her eyes. Smiling for the second time in months, he answered.

"Of course."

Lenalee's eyes were shining as she sat beside him.

"Can you tell me what happened that day? The day when you-"

"…disappeared" Allen interrupted her, but she didn't mind.

"Yes."

After a moment, he finally spoke.

"Okay."

_Flashback _

_The 14__th disappeared, and then the scene changed: Exorcist corpses were laid in a camp with countless silver crosses. Next to him, he saw Lenalee grabbing his coat and smiling, while blood dripped from her mouth forming a pool of red on the floor__…_

"_LENALEE! NO!" Allen screamed, with enough intensity to leave him almost without voice__._

_He shook her, tried to feel her pulse. Nothing. With tears filling up his eyes, he cried with all the strength he could muster, to try and remove the grief that was in his body._

"_DAAAAMMMITTTTTTTTTTT!"_

_And then, he felt an explosion right below him. The illusion rapidly faded and, when he opened his eyes again, he was staring to a silver-haired girl, who seemed only slightly younger than he was._

"_Who are you?" He asked, already feeling his conscience starting to fade__._

"_Don't worry. You'll be alright now. I created an illusion, so they think you disappeared." The girl said, her voice gentle and warm._

"_I have… to meet.. my friends…" Allen tried to talk, but his eyes demanded to be closed, so he finally gave up._

_----_

_Allen slept for two consecutive days. In the third day, he found himself in an immense corridor, with a soft music echoing in the air. Following the music, he reached a room with a pianist… the 14th again._

"**Back again, lad?**" _The Noah spoke, still seemingly focusing on the music score before him._

"_Where am I now?" Allen asked. The Noah couldn't say if he was asking about the inside or the outside__._

"**How can I tell you, boy? You said yourself, it's your body.**" _The 14th answered, annoyed._

_Allen didn't ask __again, just simply let himself be immersed by the song._

"**Do you like it?**"_the Noah said, a grin placed in his face_

_Embarrassed, Allen didn't respond to that question. Instead, he made one himself._

"_That time, you said about 'the other side of the war'. My master said the same thing. What does it mean?"_

_The 14__th stopped his playing. Staring at Allen, he spoke._

"**Alright, lad. Are you prepared to know the truth?**"

_Allen nodded once, then the Noah __started his explanation._

"**You're told about the Earl trying destroy the heart of the innocence , so that all the innocence are destroyed with it, right? But that isn't the real truth…"**

_Allen's eyes widened when the Noah finally said the history behind the holy war__._

"**The heart has two things that make it special: It can control all the other innocence… and have the power to wipe out the Noah from the face of the earth.**" _He said and, grinning, completed his words. _"**So the one controlling the heart… controls the entire war.**"

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Okaaaay... Chapter 3 online ^^

This one is longer with reasons: I've to prepare a lot of thing for the upcoming ones

Thanks to addenza, blahrius, Lenna Pattz, xdevil-childx, xxxChaosQueenxxx, Astaline Nihtingal, AngelVi, MitarashiiDango, hana no toshiro, KitsuniXxxla and kurosaki9 for the review

Annnnd, a big thanks to Nikki for the fixies. It seems I'm becoming really depending on you (not that I mind xP)

I'm really thankful for everyone that reviewed my story so far. That's why I put every one of them in every thank list ^^

I'm preparing a original manga too. When the first chap is done, I'll let you know :P

Next chap, more flashbacks, the cathedral and the mysterious silver haired girl

Chapter 4 will be named "Crusaders"

See ya ^^


	5. Crusaders

There'll be some swapping between flashbacks and actual days in this chap. Allen will be explaining some things, there'll be questions, etc.

But don't worry, I'll give my best to not turn out to confusing

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In the last chap

_Allen's eyes widened when the Noah finally said the history behind the holy war._

"**The heart has two things that make it special: It can control all the other innocence… and have the power to wipe out the Noah from the face of the earth.**" _He said and, grinning, completed his words. _"**So the one controlling the heart… controls the entire war.**"

**Chapter 4 – Crusaders**

"**Has the cat eaten your tongue, lad?" **_The 14th teased, and then continued _**"It changes perspectives, no? To believe you're fighting for something, and don't even know what it really means?"**

_Allen didn't sa__y anything, and so the Noah spoke again._

"**How ****do you humans like to call it? Ah, yes! Like a 'pawn'. Without own will, just following the paths pre-determined by other people."**

_These words__ hit Allen, and he felt his anger begin to rise. Like the words his Master said to him in the night he disappeared. The 14th, already knowing that he had pushed the right button, delivered the final blow._

"**Your existence is futile, boy. You enter battles without knowing what ****you are fighting for. You try to save ones that cannot be saved. You're only alive… because I haven't begun to exist."**

"_SHUT UP!" Allen shouted__._

"**Say it, lad. You already know the truth. The same one your Master scrubbed on your ****face, saying 'Listen for the 14th'. Say it, and I'll relieve your pain."**_The Noah said again, teasing, grinning and waiting for his chance._

_Allen stopped for a mom__ent. All his life, all his pain, everything. All that he had fought for. So now it was okay to give up? Since he was a child, he had always felt that he didn't belong in this world. His parents left him. Mana cursed him. And now, all the choices he had made were not his?_

_But then, a brilliant presence blinded his eyes, and he smiled. The girl that hit him when he almost lost his life. The same one that cried for him, when he disappeared, and then reappeared again. Lenalee. And then, everything made sense._

_One by one, his friends appeared in his mind, encouraging him, lending their strength. And, somehow, he forgot about the war for a moment. And then he thought that if it was for Lenalee and everyone that made him felt alive again, it was worth to live. It was worth to fight._

"_We're here with you. I'm here__." Lenalee said. "Come back to me. Let's fight together."_

_Smiling, Allen answered her._

"_Wait for me."_

_---_

Lenalee was blushing. Hard. It was still halfway in Allen's reminiscence, and she already felt like jumping at him and hold him tight against her. Her heart was furious inside her chest, but she tried to compose herself. Looking at Allen, the blush intensified when he looked back at her.

Blushing too, he smiled at her and held her hand. Shocked a little, she smiled too, and they stayed like this for a while.

"Is it weird? For me to think like that?" Allen asked, unsure.

The Chinese girl stared at him and, with the most tender eyes, answered.

"No. Probably, at the same time, when I thought I had lost you, something downed on me too. I'm the same."

"What is the same?" Miranda asked, scaring the two. They let go of each other hands, and stayed looking in different directions.

Just Alice, Ray and Lavi were still sleeping. They were eavesdropping almost all the conversation. After all, the rest of them wanted to know what happened to Allen too.

"It's nothing, Miranda-san. Don't worry." Allen spoke, smiling at her and making her blush too. "Now, let's continue, shall we?"

---

"_You'll not have anything__ that is mine. Not my friends, and not my life. If it's for them, it's worth it. I'll live and, together with them, I'll finish this war." Allen said with a conviction that even puzzled the Noah._

_And then, grinning, the 14__th spoke._

"**You're interesting, lad. It makes me urge for our next meeting."**

_Like a terrible nightmare coming to a__n end, the Noah begun to disappear. Leaving a final message, he faded._

"**I'll leave at i****t for now boy. Your 'savior' is waiting for you already."**

_And then, Allen found himself staring at an unknown cellar._

"_What that hell was all of that?" He thought, still confused._

"_Are you all right?" A tender voice called at his side._

_Moving his eyes, a silver haired girl appeared on his sight. She was younger than__ him, or so it looked like. Shining hair, white-colored eyes and a white dress that clung to her form._

"_Who're you? Where am I?" He tried to sit, but she forced him down._

"_You're safe now. Don't worry. We're not going to hurt you." The girl said._

_Feeling a comforting aura around her, Allen relaxed, and lay down on the bed again._

"_My name is Elizabeth, but everyone calls me Liz. You're in the Cathedral, one of the last safer places here in England." _

"_England? But I was in Istanbul a couple of days ago…The mission! Where're my friends?" He sat up so fast that his head started to spin. Feeling nauseous, he was about to throw up when he felt a small hand cover his forehead, and soon, he felt sleepy again._

"_Rest up. You were mentally unstable when we found you. Just relax, and we'll help you." Liz soothed, and Allen let himself be enveloped._

_The next time he awoke, Liz was no more beside him. At the door of the room was a small man, apparently on his sixties, bringing a metal basin with water and some clean towels._

"_Ah, you're awake. Feeling better?" The man spoke, with a small voice that matched his appearance. "My name is Father Lucius. I'm one of the founders of the Cathedral. What's your name, boy?"_

_Allen tried to speak, but his mouth was dry. Lucius brought him a cup of water that he immediately swallowed up._

"_Allen. Allen Walker." He said._

"_Allen… It's a strange name. We couldn't found any identification with you. Are you from around here?" Lucius questioned._

_Allen didn't respond at first. He was having a massive headache, and his vision was blurring._

"_Where's Liz?" He asked, without a__n ulterior motive._

_If Lucius was surprised, he didn't show it._

"_So, you already know her?" The old man said._

_Allen nodded slowly, and so Lucius continued._

"_We keep telling her to not overdo, but she didn't listen anyone. You remember something about when we rescued you?" Another affirmative nod, and then, a ghost-like Elizabeth appeared beside Lucius._

"_You're the one there… The one whom was there with me, that night…" Allen said._

"_Yes and no. It's tru__e that it was me there, but not my real body." Liz answered, pressing her ghostly hand temple, sending him a warm yet cool energy wave._

"_Not… real…?" Allen mumbled, savoring her ministrations._

"_I still cannot leave my room. I was born with a fragile body, and it gets worse as soon as I use my abilities." She said, and then Allen was all ears when she spoke again. "I have a special innocence."_

--

Nothing more was said that night. Suddenly, Allen wasn't talking about it anymore, and said that was best if they slept for now. Lenalee found weird, but didn't press any further. With a hidden last squeeze on Allen's hand, she went back to her and Miranda's sleeping bag.

The next two days they travelled non-stop. The group didn't talk too much, as if not wanting to press Allen. If he wanted to talk, they would talk. But suddenly, Lavi popped a question.

"I understand why you call your innocence 'Mirrored Dreams'." He said, pointing to Ray "But I don't get why you call yours 'Smiling Cat'." He pointed to Alice.

Alice was embarrassed. They didn't know why, but she was red again. When she was about to talk, Ray talked for her

"Any of you know the story 'Alice in Wonderland'?" Some of them nodded, then he continued "There was a cat that always appeared from nowhere, and every time he popped up, he was smiling. That's it."

Lenalee was somehow annoyed with Alice constant blush, that didn't diminished when Ray's explanation ended.

"It's something wrong, Alice-chan?" She asked, showing a bit of irritation with the blond haired girl.

"W-Well.. T-that.. Y-You know…" She mumbled, and then Ray, grinning, teased her.

"It was Taichou whom named her innocence."

Suddenly, Alice was really red, Lenalee was really annoyed, and Allen was sighing. Trying to divert the line of this conversation, Link spoke.

"You're some type of group? It seems that those hoods are some sort of uniform, and this silver cross earrings identification."

Link had everyone attention now, and the rest of the exorcist's group began to notice it too

"Now that you said…" Lavi spoke.

"Yeah, I really didn't notice that the other two had that…" Miranda doubled.

"Interesting…" Bookman stated.

Kanda was already annoyed with all the conversation. Grumbling, he took the direct approach.

"What name do you call your group?"

Ray and Alice looked to each other, as if to expecting the other to answer that. But Allen was the one to say it.

"Father Lucius believe that, if we're in a holy war, we've to fight believing we do it for God." He stopped and looked back to them "We're the Crusaders. Crusaders of the Silver Cross."

"Crusader, huh? Like the ones in Medieval Ages, right, panda?" Lavi asked, and was hit as soon as he finished.

"Indeed… I would like to meet this Father Lucius. This man could be a valuable information resort." Bookman spoke.

After passing by Wiltshire, the group found themselves in front of a huge rocky mountain. When Lavi was about to ask, Allen spoke first.

"We're here."

And, to everyone's astonishment, as soon as Allen took off his earring and pointed in the direction of the stone the mountain began to open.

"After we meet Father Lucius…" Allen said, and then pointed to his eye-patch "...we'll talk about this."

And so, entering the secret passage, they arrived at the place called the Cathedral.

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Late! I'm late! Sorry ;_;

I've a job now, and so, didn't have the time do update earlier ^^

Don't worry... There'll be a couple of holidays here next week, so it's possible that the next chap will come earlier

I've found a mini plot hole back on that "on the next chap" things, but already fixed. (I've forgot that the new headquarters was in London :_; EPIC FAIL!)

And now

Astaline Nihtingale, addenza, KitsuniXxla, MitarashiiDango and xxxChaosQueenxxx: a huge thanks for the reviews

To Nikki, a big hug for the fixing plus her review (Thank you, thank you, thank you!)

Next chap: Father Lucius, a bit of Mana past with the 14th, Noahs and Black Order

Chapter 5 will be: **"The Cathedral secrets"**

**See you soon ^^  
**


	6. The Cathedral’s secrets

In the last chap

"After we met Father Lucius…" Allen said, and then pointed to his eye-patch "..we'll talk about this."

And so, entering the secret passage, they arrived at the place called the Cathedral.

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**Chapter 5 – The Cathedral****'s secrets**

As they entered the passage, a long staircase was the only path. It somehow reminded Lenalee of the Black Order's corridors. They continued their way down until sometime later, when Allen stopped.

It was halfway on their path, and the group suddenly was confused. Then, Allen asked.

"Have you contacted the Order's HQ?"

Not one word was said. It seemed that he was implying something on his words. Not letting doubt gain her, Lenalee said.

"If we must, it has to be before going down, right?"

Allen stared her, his right eye shining, but the rest of his features unchanged. After a while, he nodded.

"Yes."

Bringing out a small communicator, Lenalee tried to reach her brother. 10 minutes later, they had established contact. Before she could talk, Allen brought his hand to her wrist, and she looked in his eye. A wordless message was delivered.

_Trust me._

And so, Allen let go of her. Smiling, she spoke.

"Brother! Brother! Can you hear me?"

After a few moments, a reply

"LENALEEEEEE! MY SWEET LENALEE! YOU'RE OK!!!" Komui cried on the other side.

Alice and Ray were surprised by the sudden outburst. Allen smiled to himself when Lenalee, blushing, tried to calm down her brother. "Same as always" he thought.

Looking around to the others, Lenalee nodded to them, than spoke.

"There's was an innocence user near Blackburn, but we lost sight of him. He _disappeared _to the south" she looked to Allen, then smiled and continued. "There was no _time _to distinguish him, but he didn't look like an exorcist."

Komui, understanding the words behind their 'unsaid' code, let out a happy sigh.

"We'll send somewhere near the south to investigate. Regroup and search for other signs of Noah in Blackburn. _Don't trust anybody._ We're already _surrounded by problems, _so don't _extend your time there too much._"

Link, Kanda, Lavi and Miranda nodded, remembering the 'code' too.

"Ok, brother. We'll be careful." Lenalee said, then turned off the little speaker.

Looking to her group, she stated.

"The Central is suspicious. We don't have much time before they know the real meaning of this mission."

The exorcists nodded. Allen turned his back to continue down the stairs.

"We'll put the communicators in a safe location. Tim, do the honors."

Appearing from Allen's sleeve was Timcampy, Marian Cross's golem.

"Timcampy! I didn't know you were alright too!!" Lenalee let out a happy cry. The yellow golem was bigger than she remembered.

Opening his mouth, he swallowed the communicators, then laid down on Alice shoulder. And, again, for no specific reason, Lenalee was annoyed. However, she didn't have time to say nothing, as Allen begun to walk down the stairs.

"Let's go."

------

The bottom of the stairs was an enormous gate, similar to the Order's first headquarters. Aligned in front of the huge door, they heard a strong voice.

"Speak the truth, and we'll open the way. What's the word the old wise say?"

"Fate." Allen said, his voice somewhat distant.

"Your truth, we say, is sorrow. We can't trust you with tomorrow." The voice spoke again, and then, the gate begun to open.

"Welcome back, Allen Walker." they heard, and the gate was totally opened.

The Cathedral looked like the city in the Ark. They could see children running along the streets, playing. There were women walking along, and very few men. A little girl came running in Allen's direction.

"Onii-chan!! Welcome home!!" she beamed, and jumped to him.

"I'm home, Mia." Allen said, with a tender voice that he rarely used.

Lenalee approached them, with a smile in her face, and tried to caress the girl's hair.

"You're Mia-chan, right? I'm Lenalee."

Lenalee's smile faltered when the girl buried her little face in Allen's chest. Looking around, she saw the others habitants whispering and giving them a weird look.

Trying to cheer her up, Alice spoke to her.

"Don't worry. It was the same when we first got here too."

Lenalee nodded, and stared in Allen direction, who smiled to the little girl as she played with his now long hair. Sighing, she followed him with the others to find the man whom guided the people of the Cathedral.

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"Play with me, Tyki!! You promised that would be after dinner!!" Road whined, clinging in Tyki's neck.

"Maa, Road, let your uncle rest for a while. You played too much yesterday." Cyril Kamelot berated his adopted daughter.

Tyki Mikk was seriously considering traveling to place far far away from where he was at that moment. Not only he get stuck with Road for a whole day playing around, but the wounds he suffered when battling against Allen had started to ache. And controlling himself was becoming very, very hard.

Before he could speak, the Earl appeared, in his human form. Road got off Tyki and rushed towards him.

"The Earl!!!!!" she cried, and clung into him.

"Aa, Road. Impulsive as always." Cyril laughed.

Sensing something strange within the Earl, she searched his face.

"Is something wrong?"

He smiled to her, and after she got down, he walked to the table that Tyki and Cyril were on. After a while, Tricia appeared and served tea to them.

"What's happening, my lord?" Cyril questioned him. Tyki eyed the Earl from the corner of his eyes.

Looking to the garden of the house, his eyes somewhat distant, the Millenium Count seemed distracted. When they thought he wouldn't say anything, he spoke.

"I woke up hearing a distant sound. This sound that conquered my thoughts. This horrible melody."

Road's eyes were shinning when they stared at him as he completed.

"The 'heart' had started to play his song again."

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As the exorcists walked across the maze of streets, the facets of the Cathedral showed themselves proudly. It was like an entire city buried below the mountain. There were houses, shops, _life. _It didn't seem like a place for refugees.

"I can't believe this place. How much time did this existed?" Lavi wondered aloud, causing the rest of them to turn to him.

"I mean, look around! It would take decades to build a place like this! How come no one ever saw this?"

"Indeed. There is a strange aura around here…" Bookman said, and looked on Allen's direction. He turned his head, only enough to answer the old one.

"There are some things that are better left undiscovered." Then, looking forward, he completed. "If you have questions, ask them to Father Lucius. He's the oldest one on the Cathedral."

They continued walking, until they stopped in front of a large church. _The Cathedral_.

"Makes sense," Lavi commented.

The church's door opened, revealing a small old man, only a little taller than Bookman.

"We're back, Father Lucius." Allen said, kneeling like a medieval knight. Alice and Ray followed him.

"Welcome back, Allen. I see that Alice and Raymond were ok too." Lucius spoke, eyeing the others. "And you… I suppose Allen acquaintances?"

They stared at him for a while. Link was the first to speak.

"We're from the Black Order headquarters, London. My name is Howard Link, a member of CROW." The rest followed suit.

"Lavi. I'm an exorcist and a future bookman."

"You can call just Bookman too."

"Kanda."

"I-I'm Miranda Lotto. It's a honor to meet you!"

Lenalee was the last one. When she looked in the old man eyes, her words got caught on her throat.

"I'm…"

"…Lenalee Lee. I see, you're just like Allen saidn" Lucius said, causing her to blush. She eyed Allen, whom was still in the same position.

"We found another horde of akuma, Father. They were near than the last time." Allen said, then looked to him "It seems that the Duk- ARGGGHHH"

Allen screamed as he clutch his eye patch.

"Taichou!" Alice and Ray cried in unison.

"Allen-kun!" Lenalee rushed to his side, as the others approached as well.

She looked to Lucius, and saw a ghost beside him. As soon as they eyes met, ghost-like Elizabeth said,

"Bring him inside! Hurry!"

Without any time to think, they brought him inside the church.

----

Allen was sleeping for 3 hours. As soon as they entered, he was laid down and Liz started to channel her energy to his eye-patch. After a while, his condition stabilized, and the rest of the group was face-to-face with the ones whom saved Allen.

Lavi was the first to speak.

"Are you a ghost?" He pointed to Elizabeth.

"Before we start to talk about me…" She tried, but Allen was already awake and cut across.

"It's okay, Liz. I'll explain everything."

Allen was smiling to Elizabeth. To say that Alice and Lenalee weren't jealous was a lie, but they decided to keep it down because of Allen's condition.

Staying in a sitting position on his bed, he started.

"You see this?" He said, pointing to his eyepatch. They nodded, so he took this and continued "It's a seal."

"Seal? Like my seals?" Lavi asked.

Bookman smacked him down, giving Allen the opportunity to continue.

"It seals my Noah side."

"WHAT??" The exorcists screamed, looking to him.

"It all began a month after I got here…"

----

_The first month he spent in the Cathedral was strange to Allen. When he walked down the streets, people would start to whisper. Even if Father Lucius was beside him._

"_Don't worry. You'll grow accustomed to this place." Lucius soothed, tapping the boy's back._

"_I've to go back. My friends may be worried about me." Allen said._

"_Your friends? Or that Lenalee girl?" Lucius teased and, as Allen blushed, let out a small laugh "Aah, to be young!"_

"_Father!" Allen begged._

"_Ok, ok! Before we talk about you leaving, would you like to visit Elizabeth?" Lucius asked, already knowing the answer. Allen was really pressuring him to know what Liz's special Innocence was._

"_We can? If so, let's go!" Allen smiled than started to walk towards the church to meet up with the girl. Sighing, Lucius followed him._

_----_

_As soon as they entered the room, Allen saw a girl sat near the window. Her hair was silver and long, but somehow he felt sadness emanating from her_

"_Elizabeth?" He tried, and she looked to him. When he saw her white colored eyes, he felt something powerful, and his mind shut down. _

_When __he opened his eyes again, Allen was on a street. He recognized it as one that he and Mana used to pass. There were several people, but it didn't seem as if they could see him. Then, he saw something that caught his attention. Rushing down the street, he found a 12 year old boy being bullied by several others. As soon as the face of the child came into his sight, he was confused._

"_Mana?"_

_Then, he saw another boy coming to stop the bullies. After a brief fight, the other boys had run away. Allen eyes widened as the other boy, looking exact like his younger self, turned to Mana, whom greeted him._

"_Thank you, brother Cecil!"_

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_I'm very, very sorry. _

_This chapter was supposed to be up yesterday, but the Document Manager was off until 12 AM Sunday, I don't know why. =/_

_Anyway, thanks to yullen enthusiast, Nevi-chan, addenza, SecretTenshi, MitarashiiDango, xxxChaosQueenxxx, Astaline Nihtingale and Bex the Hat for the reviews_

_And special thanks to Nikki, for the fixies and compliments! (If you notice, I've changed something vital. :P) It's a pleasure to work with you_

_Next chap: The truth about the Walker brothers_

_Chapter 6 will be: **Black colored jester**_

_See ya ^^  
_


	7. Black colored jester

In the last chapter…

_Then, he saw another boy coming to stop the bullies. After a brief fight, the other boys had run away. Allen eyes widened as the other boy, looking exact__ly like his younger self, turned to Mana, who greeted him._

"_Thank you, brother Cecil!"_

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**Chapter 6 – Black colored jester**

_Allen still couldn't understand the situation.__ After meeting with Liz, he found himself inside memories that weren't his. But then, he was reminded of what his master had told him._

"_**You**__** have the 14**__**th**__**'s memories implanted inside you."**_

_Shaking his head, he continued observing the two boys__._

"_How come you let them do this to you, Mana? You're the older one of us!" Cecil exclaimed._

"_I'm your older brother! You can't call me by my name!" Mana retorted._

"_You sure don't look like one!"_

"_S-shut up!"_

_Cecil sighed, then smiled. He couldn't get mad with Mana after all. He was his only family, since their parents were murdered some time ago. Cecil couldn't shake the feeling that they were killed because of him, but Mana always disagreed._

_As the two brothers__ walked down the street, Allen watched them with tender eyes. Seeing them living together as a family, he started to wonder why __**that **__had to happen. Cecil didn't looked like an enemy at all, and he was starting to accept the 'human' Cecil in place of the '14th Noah'._

"**Are you starting to like me, boy?"**_ The 14th said, startling Allen. How the Noah was at his side now without Allen noticing was beyond him. _**"I was a nice kid, wasn't I? Oh, or should I say 'you'?"**

_Allen just stared at him for a moment, then followed the two brothers. The Noah snorted, and proceeded behind him._

"**You're no fun, brat."**

_----_

_They reached a dark alley, and Allen suddenly felt a chill down his spine. It was like a bad omen, a prelude for something else to happen. In the alley, the Walker brothers lived in a small habitation, not much larger than a dog's house. Allen didn't know how the two of them actually fitted there together. Looking closer, he saw a small dog, similar to the one Mana owned when Allen first talked to him. The puppy was dying, and the air around the three, the dog, Mana and Cecil, was one of sadness. The brothers had agreed to look for a way to save the animal, but they couldn't find one._

_Allen look sadly at them, remembering that time with Mana, their first encounter. The 14th looked to him, then said._

"**Open your eyes and stay alert, kid. It's now that everything changes."**

_Allen turned back to him, but the Noah wasn't there. Feeling the same chill he felt a moment ago, the white-haired boy heard a noise coming up the street. He left the alley, then saw the group of boys whom bullied Mana, back with cubs and iron bars. His eyes widened as he tried to stop them._

"_Wait! Stop!" he cried in vain. They just passed by him, running towards the alley. Allen tried to get back inside there, but something held him out. Then, he heard a voice._

"**You'll not want to see that. It's not something pretty. Stay out here boy. The important thing you can see from here."**

_Allen looked around, but still couldn't see the 14th. Suddenly, he heard screams inside the alley. Trying desperately to move, he felt te__ars down his face as he seemed to scream a reply._

"_MANAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"_

_The boy fell down on his knees, cursing his inutility. He felt someone approach the alley. Looking up, he saw a well-dressed man, a typical English lord. His words got caught on his throat, and even if he didn't knew this man on this form, his mind immediately processed that face._

"**The Earl." **_The 14th spoke from somewhere. It looked like he was hiding, but he wouldn't admit it._

_Allen's sight was fixed on that man. Somehow he knew that Mana's death begun here, with him. Hate consumed his vision and, right then, the Earl looked to him as if he could see Allen, then smiled._

_Looking back to the alley, the tall man spoke, his voice extremely different than that one Allen knew._

"_Let the melody ring__, Cecil. I know you can hear me. Let your thoughts flow, and you and your brother can finally be happy."_

_From inside the alley, a scream was heard, then a soft melody consumed the air. A few minutes later, carrying an unconscious Mana, covered in blood, Cecil emerged. Looking up with deadened eyes, the mark of the Noah emerging from his forehead, he heard the Earl call him._

"_Let us go, Cecil. To where you really belong."_

_Cecil looked to Mana, than back to the Earl. The latter shook his head in a disapproving manner._

"_He cannot go with us, Cecil. It's a different world, he wouldn't be happy there."_

_Cecil looked sadly to Mana, then laid him down. Then, he spoke softly on Mana's ears, got up and followed the lord of the akuma._

_As Mana slowly regained his senses, he remembered the last words of his younger brother._

"_Goodbye, Onii-san."_

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The room was silent. Everyone was around Allen listen intently the story. Of course, Lenalee and Alice were each beside him, with ghostly Elizabeth floating up.

During the entire 'tale', Lenalee noted the extreme sadness in Allen's tone. He would sometimes struggle to continue speaking, and it broke her heart. "_He had already suffered enough, why do these things keep happening to him_?" She thought, almost tearing up just seeing that damned eye-patch consuming the left side of his face.

Even Bookman and Lavi, the only ones that knew about the connection between the 14th and Mana, were surprised. Kanda, whom tried to look aloof and uninterested, showed in his eyes an uncanny interest. Miranda was crying a lot now, and Link seemed almost unaffected…if you chose to ignore his clenched fists. Ray and Alice were listening for the first time too, and they couldn't fell more respect or sorrow from their captain.

Tearing up, Alice slipped an arm through Allen's right one and squeezed herself on him. Seeing this, jealously bubbled inside Lenalee, and she did the same. Liz was jealous too, but as her ghost self, when she tried to embrace him from behind, she passed right through him, causing everyone to sweat drop.

Lucius, the only one who appeared calm, stared intently at Allen, as if trying to pass a message without words. Allen looked and him and smiled.

"I know, Father. Thank you."

Lucius smiled back, and everyone was wondering what that was all about. Suddenly, the door of the room was open, and a small boy came in from it.

"You know that you can't barge into rooms without knocking, Sean." Lucius scolded him

"But, but… Emilia-chan told me that Al-nii was back and…" The small boy said, and his eyes landed on Allen. "AL-NII!!!!" He threw himself on Allen.

"So, Mia told you, huh? Missed me, Sean?" Allen said, ruffling the boy's hair.

"You promised that you would tell me a lot, a lot of stories when you got back. I was reallllly looking forward to it." Sean said, gesturing his small arms as he spoke.

The scene brought smiles on everyone, but Alice found important to continue the conversation.

"Now Sean, Taichou was having a serious conversation, then your stories will have to wait, ok?"

"You just want him all to you, Alice nee-chan." Sean said, which caused Alice to blush, Lenalee to giggle and everyone to sweat drop once more.

Allen looked to the little boy tenderly and spoke.

"You can play with Mia now, Sean. As soon as I'm done here, I'll play with you, ok?"

Sean looked up to Allen, then grinned widely. Popping off Allen's lap, he signed a 'V' sign with his hand

" 'KAY!! "

As soon as he closed the door, he started screaming outside

"YAYYYY!! AL-NII WILL PLAY WITH ME! YAYYYY!!"

Lenalee smiled to herself as she saw the genuine happiness on Allen's features. But he suddenly switched back to his sad one as he decided to start again.

"So, let's continue."

And so, everyone went back to the positions they were in before Sean arrived into the room.

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_Allen was crying. He didn't know if he felt more__ anger or sadness. The boys who bullied the brothers, The Earl who snatched Mana's family and the 14th who abandoned his brother. It was just like his own life before his Master found him._

_When he noticed something odd, the memories switched to twenty years later. Looking around, he found that place strangely familiar._

"_It's like inside the piano room on the Ark__," he thought. Screams echoed through a corridor, and Allen's curiosity leaded him to find the source. He found an enormous black door, and opened it._

_Inside, he saw the 14th and the Earl discussing. The 14th was bleeding, and the Earl grinning._

"_You betrayed me!!! You said that I would lead the Noah!!" The 14__th__ said, trying to stay conscious._

_Holding a little flask, the Earl let out a dark smile._

"_All I wanted was to teach you to bring out your potential to the top." He said, and shook the flask. "Like this, I can use your DNA to create a pseudo-Noah, one that will obey me."_

_The 14th shoot him a venomous look, then brought out a mouth-organ. Then, he played it, and thousands of akuma appeared, surrounding the Earl._

"_You can control them even with that? I guess I'll call you 'The Musician'" The Earl said, smiling, and then harbored a more serious tone. "You really thought that you would control the Noah? You'll be marked as the Noah that never existed, the 14th! Do you hear me?" He screamed as the akuma closed the distance._

_Sensing an opportunity, __Cecil escaped through the door, running even without the strength to do it. When he was near the exit, he met a small girl near there. Allen immediately recognized her._

"_Road!"_

_She smiled as she saw Cecil._

"_Cecil!!! Want to play? Want to play?" She beamed._

_Then she looked to him and saw his blood. "What happened? Are you hurt?"_

_Cecil smiled to her, then patted her head__._

"_I'll travel for a while, Road. Could you tell no one that you saw me get out?"_

_She nodded, then he ruffled her hair._

"_Thank you."_

_Road blushed under his smile and watched as he exited the mansion. After awhile, a horde of akuma stormed near her. Shocked, she asked them._

"_What happened?"_

_One of them stopped, then answered to her._

"_Cecil-sama tried to kill the Earl!"_

_----- _

_Elizabeth and Lucius were trying their best to calm down Allen. He__ was struggling, his left eye activated. Suddenly, his innocence activated too, but the white-colored cape took a dark tone, and the Clown of God looked more like a black colored jester. _

_Lucius was starting to get desperate, but he felt a hand on __his shoulder which calmed him down. He sent Elizabeth a questioned look, but she shook her head and spoke._

"_It's alright. I've to do this. He's my older brother after all."_

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I'm really sorry again... I'm having a few health problems, but nothing to worry about :P

Thanks to Nevi-chan, Mitarashii-Dango, MidnightEmber, Astaline Nihtingale, sayomi-walker, Jovii and addenza (special one for Kaito Aozora, didn't had thanked yet ^^)

And a huge thanks to Nikki for being patient with my errors (Yay, I'm improving! Thank you!!)

Next chap: What would you do to save someone important to you?

Chapter 7 will be named: **Heart**

See ya ^^


	8. Heart

In the last chap...

_Elizabeth and Lucius were tryi__ng their best to calm Allen down. He was struggling, his left eye activated. Suddenly, his innocence activated too, but the white-colored cape took a dark tone, and the Clown of God looked more like a black colored jester. _

_Lucius was starting to get desperate, but he felt a hand on his shoulder which calmed him down__. He sent Elizabeth a questioning look, but she shook her head and spoke._

"_It's alright. I've to do this. He's my older brother after all."_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
_

**Chapter 7 – Heart**

"O-older brother?" Lenalee stuttered, shocked.

To say that the rest of them weren't feeling the same was a lie. Almost everyone was looking to Allen, then back to Liz, then Allen again. Alice, Ray and Lucius were the only ones unaffected by this revelation.

"What's the big shock? It's pretty normal to me." Ray said, his hands behind his head. Alice smacked him down.

"Idiot! Did you forget that Taichou didn't know that before he got here?" Alice scolded him. "If he didn't know back there, of course they wouldn't know either!"

"S-shut up! I already knew!" Ray retorted with his typical response.

Despite all that, Lenalee felt happy. To Allen, who parents had abandoned him and he had been forced to kill his foster father, finally had a family, a real one. She looked at him, eyes shimmering, and somehow felt her face going hot. Every time she looked at him now she saw a mature man instead a helpless boy.

Allen decided that was time to continue, so he diverted all their attentions to him.

"I'll explain along. Let me go on."

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_Lucius looked intently to Elizabeth. The girl was like his granddaughter, and he knew the dangers of what she was about to do. But he knew too how long Liz had waited to m__eet her brother, so he understood. She had to do it._

"_Be careful. Don't overdo yourself."_

_Elizabeth smiled at him, then nodded._

"_Don't worry. I'll be okay."_

_Looking back to Allen, caressing his hair, she concentrated__._

"_Invocate."_

_Suddenly, her chest started to shine. The energy passed through her arm and rested in the point of her finger._

"_Father, the seal!" She exclaimed. Lucius nodded, then opened a small drawer, one with a silver crossed lock. Searching inside, he found a white eye-patch, with a cross and the word 'omen' on it. He gave it to Liz, who put it on Allen left eye. Then, fingering the eye patch, she spoke slowly._

"_Before the rise of the blazing sun, until the sight of the shining moon. The clocked __**time**__ will halt. Bring out the light, shut it down the darkness. Valor. Seal."_

_The eye patch shinned briefly. The word changed to 'fate', the cross emitted a silv__er light and then both disappeared leaving a white pure seal. After a moment, Allen started to regain his conscience. Blinking his now only eye, he saw the blurring figures of Elizabeth and Father Lucius._

'_W-What happened?" He spoke, feeling a little dizzy. Finally noticing that he was in a bed, he tried to get up. Lucius aided him._

"_Thanks."_

_The old man smiled at him, and Allen returned it. Then, he noticed that one of his eyes had been covered. He touched the eye patch with his hand, and then something clicked inside his mind."My cursed eye!" He thought._

_Allen was about to ask why he had that, he saw Elizabeth looking weary. Suddenly he got up, faster than possible for him at the moment. Stumbling, he caught her halfway before she connected with the floor._

"_Hey! What happened? Oi!" Allen cried, somehow feeling responsible for her condition. He then felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked back. Lucius._

"_She will be alright, Allen. She just used her innocence a little too much. Let her rest for a while."_

_Nodding, he carried her to the bed. Liz was feverish, sweat covering her face. Feeling guilty for unknown reasons, he said._

"_It has something to do with my left eye, right? Does this have a connection with the '14th'?"_

_Lucius stared at the boy. Allen could feel the sadness in his eyes, as the older man spoke._

"_Yes."_

_Then, Allen felt a small hand covering his. Looking back to Elizabeth, he saw that she was still unconscious, but with a smile on her face. His eyes widened when she spoke, dreaming._

"_Welcome back, Allen Onii-San."_

"_I… Uh… Wha-?" He tried to speak, and Lucius smiled. Pointing to the door, the Father said,_

"_I'll explain to you… but first, let's leave her alone for awhile. She needs to rest."_

_Allen nodded, proceeding__ towards the door. Before closing it completely, he gave a last look to his newly discovered younger sister._

_---_

_The two of them were silent as they walked through the cathedral's corridors. It was Lucius who first spoke._

"_She was about 4 years old when I found her. I was travelling near London when I found this small town. It was poor, but you didn't see people cursing or fighting. Despite all the problems they seemed to have, they were in peace." He pause, searching his thoughts. "It was there too that I found the general."_

"_M-my master?" Allen questioned, showing interest. Marian Cross never said a word of his life before finding Allen, so it was revealing to know something different about him. Perhaps he was a better person back there…_

"_He wa__s surrounded by women, gambling, drinking. It was a sore sight to see." Or not. Lucius didn't seem comfortable, reminded of these memories. "At first, I ignored this man. Such a sinner, he didn't seem worth of being an acquaintance."_

_Allen continued to listen intently to the old man's words._

"_Then, at that same night, a group of akuma attacked the town. The citizens were scared enough to start doubting each other. The darkness found their heart and soon it became like a civil war." Lucius said sadly. It was indeed a scene to forget._

"_My best plan of action was to hide. I didn't have the power to fight them back there." Allen raised an eyebrow towards that comment. It seemed that Lucius was hiding something, but the boy didn't press any further._

"_But they soon found me. At that time, I thought 'it's the end'. And so, I closed my eyes and gave up. I heard sounds of guns and, when I opened my eyes again, he was right before me."_

_Lucius changed his tone to a more respectful one. "He said 'when people lost their humanity, when their hearts are lost to the darkness, the Earl comes to guide them. If you gave up here, you'll become like them. Live, and help people to be saved'." _

_Allen was surprised. This words coming from his master were indeed out of character. As soon as Lucius spoke again, he changed back to normal__._

"_Then he said 'It would be best if you close your eyes now. This will be a shitty mess.' "_

_Allen slapped his forehead. It was so his master to be that way in that sort of moment._

"_Then, we heard a child's cry. I started to run, but Marian caught me and carried me the entire way. Reaching the source, we saw a small girl with a necklace. Her parents were dead, probably trying to protect her. Even if she had no injuries, her cries were becoming weaker, her pulse was slowing. As she said before, she was born with a weak body, and the stress of seeing her parents dying accelerated the process."_

_Suddenly, the white h__aired boy felt dizzy. If she were his sister, her parents were the same as his. So, they were dead after all? He was brought back to reality when Lucius continued. _

"_Then, when a small group of akuma found us, her necklace started to shine a really bright light. When the light faded, the akuma were defeated, and the necklace was gone. When I thought that she was dead, I saw something shining in her chest. It was like the necklace melted outside then crystallized inside her, around her heart."_

_Allen was really shocked when Lucius co__ncluded that part of the story._

"_She has the heart of the innocence."_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
_

If you questioned Kanda Yuu who the most annoying person in the world was, he would answered 'beansprout' without hesitation. Now, seeing that someone had the same blood as Allen, his mind processed one thing: _more headaches._

"Tch… Is she someone more troublesome than him?" He asked, pointing to ghost-Liz then to Allen. It cost him various glares, as if he ignored what that girl really had, but he didn't care.

Lenalee was glaring at him for other motives. Not only had he insulted Allen, but his sister too. Then, she actually thought of her being her own sister someday. The blush arrived full force now, but had gone away as soon as she spotted Alice's features… she was thinking the same thing. She snapped up when Allen, without the others notice, squeezed her hand tenderly.

Her face was red again, but when she looked at Allen's, she cursed that eye patch for blocking the vision of his face. Then, something clicked in her mind. When she tried to speak, Lavi popped up.

"It's not likely that she's the heart, but we've already got two candidates – two people whose innocence has saved their lives: Allen and Lenalee. However, the thing about Allen's innocence filling the hole in his heart would make him the best choice."

Liz and Alice seemed to replay the same scene that Lenalee and Lavi had back on the Ark.

"Taichou!"

"Onii-chan!"

"You didn't tell us that!!!" They cried in unison

Allen laid his head on his palms, cursing Lavi for revealing that. He cast a look to Bookman, whose eyes were closed.

Bookman nodded once, twice, then suddenly opened his eyes and punched Lavi. The red-haired one whined.

"What was that for, Panda? It's not like I said some-" He started to speak only to be hit again.

"They're distractions… Am I'm right?" Bookman said, turning everyone attention on him.

There were a pause, and then Allen spoke.

"Yes, and no. Somehow, our innocence reacted to the 'heart'. So her innocence reacted to ours too."

"But… why?" Miranda said, trying to organize her thoughts.

"It seems that Lenalee and I had something in common with the 'heart'." Allen said, making his point. "The vow to protect."

"That's it? It didn't seem so important." Ray said, earning him some glares. "What? What did I say wrong?"

Allen shook his head, and then continued.

"That's not the entire reason. Both of our innocence broke down, coming back with after we realized what we were fighting for. The changes on them were brought by a will to protect. And…"

Allen stopped, looking to Liz and Lucius. Lucius took the chance to complete for him.

"It was written on the prophecies."

Lavi and Bookman were surprised. How come there was this kind of information and they didn't know about it?

"Whose?" Bookman asked, cautiously.

"Hers." Allen said, pointing to Liz.

"What? She's a prophet too?" Lavi cried.

"It was said that 'time will be destroyed, but it'll be reborn. It will be frozen, but will not cease. When two 'hearts' become one, the sacred war begins." Lucius said sternly.

"I… don't get it." Ray said, confused.

When Allen was about to speak, Bookman spoke first.

" 'Time' and 'destroyed' referred to the his' innocence. 'Frozen' and 'cease' referred to hers'. 'Reborn' referred to both of them. When the two of them, the two 'fake hearts' were reunited to the real one, it'll be the sign for the final war."

Everyone was looking to Bookman, astonished at such interpretation. The junior one the more surprised out of all of them.

"Yes." Liz said, her ghost like appearance weakening from overuse.

Allen saw that and, nodding to Lucius, passed a message. The old man nodded, then spoke.

"Get rest, Elizabeth. We'll handle the rest here."

She cast a sad look to Allen, but beamed after seeing him smile.

"I'll pass there after, okay? Now go rest."

She nodded, then disrupt her illusion, stopping her invocation.

When Elizabeth was out of sight, Lenalee was reminded of something. Tugging at Allen's shirt, she got him looking at her face to face.

Blushing, she gulped, breathed profoundly, and asked.

"Didn't you say that the eye patch was white? It looks gray to me…"

"Now that you mention it…" Lavi said.

"Yeah, I didn't notice…" Miranda echoed.

"Interesting…" Bookman stated.

"Not again…" Ray whined. Everyone looked at him. "What?"

Suddenly, Allen got up, startling everyone. He started to walk towards the door as he spoke.

"It will change its color until it becomes useless. This is the last seal we have." He looked back to them, his visible eye sad. "When it turns completely black, it'll lose it's effect and… the 14th will be reborn."

Looking at the eye patch, Lenalee noticed that the lower part was darkening. Tearing up, she desperately tried to reach Allen before he stepped out of the room. Grabbing his arm, she asked.

"What do we have to do? How can we prevent that?"

Turning his head, he gazed his right eye into hers. He saw desperation, love and fear. He brought a hand to her face, then said tenderly.

"Elizabeth could erase my Noah side, but…"

Their hope was destroyed when he completed the sentence.

"…it would cost her life."

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Well, there's chapter 7

It's becoming a habit to update around mondays, isn't? :P

Thanks to zutarababe, Nevi-chan, MidnightEmber, MitarashiiDango, BleachRed, addenza and Astaline Nihtingale for the reviews. It's a pleasure writing for you people (and everyone that reviewed before too ^^)

And a huuuuuuuuge hug-thanks to Nikki, who's still patient with me. I couldn't ask for a better beta reader

Of course it doesn't exclude anyone, ok? For my future fics, if someone like to help, I'll be thankful :D (it feels that I'm stealing Nikki's time ;_; I'm sorry)

Next chap: Reflections, emotions, truths. The beginning of the end.

Chapter 8 will be: **The** **gears of time**

See ya ^^


	9. The gears of time

In the last chapter...

"Elizabeth could erase my Noah side, but…"

Their hope was destroyed when he completed the sentence.

"…it would cost her life."

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**Chapter 8 – The gears of time**

Lenalee was wandering through the Cathedral's streets. Her mind was blank, her eyes lifeless. Remembering the events that last happened, her eyes tearing, she heard a small song in the air. Following the melody, she saw Elizabeth, the real one, on a balcony. She started to approach and, when she was about to shout for Liz, another figure appeared beside the silver-haired girl: Allen.

Looking from the distance, Lenalee saw the genuine smile in Liz's features, a beam of happiness that she herself longed for. She felt sadness for both of them, as they were about to lose someone important. Lost in her thoughts, she almost missed it when Allen and his sister went back to her room.

She was about to turn around and leave, when Allen suddenly returned to the balcony. The air of sadness that surrounded him was contagious, and soon she was crying again. Her sight locked on the eye-patch, and she felt anger and despair consuming her. Just then, Allen cast a sad look towards her, his lips moving in slow motion.

_M__eet me._

She blinked, astonished that he recognized her at such a distance. Her mind was so confused that she missed that she was doing the same thing. Lenalee was about to shout where, but he disappeared again inside Elizabeth's room. Shaking bad thoughts out of her head, her fists clinched, she made a decision

She would have to find him.

-----------

Lavi and Bookman were studying the Cathedral's books, or at least trying. The junior bookman was spacing out, looking to the text as if seeing beyond them. That rendered him a hit on the head

"Ouch! What was that for?" He asked, but as he saw the expression of the older one, he somewhat understood. It was the same that he had when they found about the 14th's memories.

_He knew something__._

Running the options and choices inside his head, he spaced out again, and almost missed Bookman shouting at him.

"LAVI!"

Blinking, he was brought back to reality, as the old man continued.

"I've already told you, you stupid brat! Don't get caught in the war. We're not saints neither demons. We're watchers, nothing less, nothing more." He looked at the junior bookman with a frightening resolution. "I know what you're thinking."

As Bookman walked to left the library, Lavi stood up, his visible eye shining with a determination.

"You know something, don't you?"

The old man paused in his path, but didn't answer. The red-haired one tried again.

"It's there a way?"

"Perhaps." Bookman said, still not looking behind him.

"What are the consequences?" Lavi asked again.

Finally turning his head towards Lavi, he spoke.

"It could decide the war in the Earl's favor."

-------------

As he saw children playing below the window he was in, Kanda snorted. He was never a man of friends. He claimed that he existed only to destroy akuma. When the war was over, what would he do?

As he was reminded of earlier conversations, he suddenly felt nauseous. He would never admit that he was worried to lose a friend. _A rival._ He wondered why Lenalee was so hell bent in bringing all her friends around her. Why Lavi smiled and tried to flirt with every woman he came across. Why Jerry and Komui were so close, like brothers, and why the latter had that extremely developed sis-con.

He became angrier as an image popped on his head: Allen eating all the food he could swallow, as everyone in the order smiled and laughed around him. He felt sick when near these obviously happy moments. His place was in the shadows, be he knew they would never leave him be.

Then he reminded of Allen's face, the face of someone who gave up. He clenched his fists. If he was in Allen's place, would he give up?

"_Do you still see the flower, Kanda?"_

Strangely, that thought brought in him a resolution. He clutched the left side of his chest, his memories flying to when he first encountered General Theodore.

"_You're one of my pupils now, Kanda. No matter __**what **__you're, you're living a human life. And I would give my own to protect that."_

Reminded of his master words, he decided. It was time to knock some self value in a white-haired head.

-----------------

Link was aiding Lucius with chores ever since the others left. The old man was surprised for the Crow member's strictness. He would do everything he was asked to, no matter how difficult it proved to be.

Curious, Lucius was caught sending a puzzled look toward Link.

"It's there something wrong, Father Lucius?"

The old man blinked, then smiled. He decide to start the conversation.

"I'm surprised to see a young man still so strict towards helping older ones. "

"It's a part of my job," was the short answer. Lucius began to understand why he was designated to supervise Allen.

This brought his memories back to Allen's first months there. It took awhile before he could finally say "I'm home" after a mission, and they're happy he did. They would spend nights talking. Elizabeth would be the first to fall asleep, so Allen and Lucius always had to sneak out of the room.

Then Alice and Ray came, and the two of them brought some vivacity to the hidden city. Alice would be the bossy one, giving orders to everybody beside Allen, Lucius and Liz. Ray was the goofy one, making jokes and playing with the children.

"_Good times__," _The old father thought, his mind wandering in joyful memories.

"Father Lucius," Link spoke, bringing him back to reality.

Lucius stared at him, and saw a serious scowl gracing Link's features.

"You'll have to tell me everything you know about Allen Walker."

-----------

"What the hell are you talking about?" Reever shouted, surprised to see the Black Order surrounded by Crow's members.

Leverrier sent him a cold glare, his imposing figure leading the secret operations group.

"Komui Lee is now deposed from the Black Order's supervision. From now on, every mission assignment, every movement, will be passed by me. Do you understand?"

"For what he is accused?" Krory said, fearing retaliation, but not backing down.

At this moment, Bak, Fou and the Asian branch science department arrived.

"What is going on?" Lou Fa asked, freaked to see the supervisor handcuffed.

"Komui Lee is accused of treachery towards the high command." Leverrier said, with a voice that sent chills down everyone spine. "Illegal use of the Order's resources, sending valuable personnel to meaningless missions and operating without Central's permission."

"It's that all?" Bak shouted, startling even Komui. "All he did was try to bring back an exorcist that was gone! Where is the treason there?"

"If you do not shut your mouth you'll be accused too, Asian Branch's supervisor Bak Chan!" The inspector spoke, shutting down the Chinese man. Fou was not pleased by this, but was held down by Wong.

Leverrier claimed a meeting with the generals and all the available personnel. When everyone was at the central hall, he took one of the elevated galleries and stood above them.

"It's time to unite and set off. The final war will now begin."

--------

"Tyki, when we'll go? When? When?" Road whined, already showing anxiety. She would finally see Allen again.

"Alright, alright! Ask the Earl, if we have his permission, we set out now!" Tyki grumbled.

Her whining was getting on his nerves. His wounds were aching. So he decided it was better to go now and kill some exorcists to light up his mood.

"You know it still early, Road." The Earl said, appearing in his 'white' form. "There are some arrangements to be done before we can go."

Road sulked, then pouted. Lulubell appeared and ruffled the small one's hair as she passed by.

"Calm down. It's only a little more waiting."

"You saw where **that **thing went? It left her room alone and I didn't find her." Lulubell asked the Earl, annoyed. She wasn't pleased to be a baby sitter.

"Now, now. Don't say that. She is family, even if not entirely blood related." The Earl said. After a moment, they heard a song approaching them.

A young girl emerged from the darkness, with long white hair and lifeless gray eyes, singing a strange song. The Earl smiled and brought a hand to her shoulder.

"There you are! You can't let aunt Lulubell worried like that!"

Lulubell snorted, Road laughed and Tyki sighed. It was indeed a strange family.

"We're almost ready, my lord." Cyril said, bringing with him a cup of tea. "Just a few more days and everything will be set."

The Earl let out a sinister laugh, then guided the young lady towards the house.

"Let's rest for now. We'll have much to do, _Cecile."_

----------

Lenalee was searching Allen for almost half an hour. Running through the Cathedral's streets, she found a small lake. Stunned, she admired the shining reflection and the sounds of the living, wondering how something so beautiful could exist thousand of meters behind the ground.

Looking around, the water reflection blinded her for a moment. When she opened her eyes again, she saw a person, illuminated by lights that emanated from the lake.

"_Allen__,"_ She thought, and begun to move towards him. When she was a feet of distance from him, he looked back, showing the right part of his face adorned with a sad smile.

The lights were still reflecting on him, giving him an ethereal appearance, like he was part of the light himself.

For some weird reason, she blushed and started to cry at the same time. She always thought that he was handsome, and now she couldn't agree more. But she felt the sadness that surrounded him, reminding her from their earlier conversation. Allen brought her back from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry" He said, lifting his hand to her face. She blushed more, and felt an electric spasm as he touched her. It seemed so natural for her now.

"Believe me, the last thing in the world that I want is to see you sad." He said, and she closed her eyes, savoring his touch. "If I could, I would gladly spent the rest of my life here. _With you."_

She snapped her eyes open, looking directly at his face. His visible eye was so sad, but at the same time conformed. She lifted her hand to his face, touching his eye patch.

"Don't…" He said, trying to stop her.

"Shhh… It's okay." She soothed, caressing the side of his face and fingering his eye patch with her thumb. She reminded of their first encounter, his first return after a mission, their first mission together. They shared so many moments, and she would not let they end. _She would not lose him again._

"I'll not let go of you so easily." She said strongly, with a determined look on her face.

Allen looked puzzled at her, then smiled. She always had this effect on him, and probably always will. Then, he did the boldest movement he could imagine.

Tugging her head with his right hand, he brought their faces together, then kissed her tenderly. Lenalee was shocked for a moment, but soon she was immersed by this new sensation.

After a moment, they let go, both blushing intensely. Allen was the first one to talk

"You're a stubborn one, you know that?" He smiled caressing her face. Then he hugged her tightly "I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." She said, and somehow she really believed that. "I'll stay with you until the end."

They stayed like this for a while. The moment was ruined when Alice came from one of her black holes, startling the two of them. They jumped and distanced for each other

"What were you two doing?" Alice asked, suspicious "You weren't hitting on him, were you?"

Lenalee shook her head, and Allen laughed. Alice was puzzled, but smiled after seeing his. Then she reminded herself what she was doing there.

"Taichou! It's Liz! Hurry!" She cried, then pulled his arm to bring him to the black hole. Allen pulled Lenalee's hand, and the three of them entered the black hole…

…and the two girls appeared on Liz room, sitting right above Allen. They noticed quickly and got off him.

Allen stood up, and then something caught his attention. Liz was floating in the air, enveloped by a shining light. Her eyes were open, and he had already seen that form before.

_A prophecy__._

"It's time, brother." Elizabeth said, and caught everyone's attention. "The final war will begin in three days."

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I'm really sorry for the delay (It's not your fault, Nikki ^^)

I'll try to update earlier (As I said, **_try _**_ I've less time now, unfortunately)

Thanks to NakatsuMemi, Happydays123, Astaline Nihtingale, MitarashiiDango, kurosaki9, MidnightEmber, glon morski, zutarababe and addenza for the reviews ^^ It helps to have such nice compliments

And a enormous thank you to Nikki, for fixies and compliments (I'll still send to you. We'll finish this together, ok? ^^)

Next chap: Do you ever wondered when Allen was implanted with the 14 th's memories?

Chapter 9 will be: **Behind the cursed eye**

See ya^^


	10. Behind the cursed eye

In the last chapter...

Allen stood up, and then something caught his attention. Liz was floating in the air, enveloped by a shining light. Her eyes were open, and he had already seen that form before.

_A prophecy._

"It's time, brother." Elizabeth said, and caught everyone's attention. "The final war will begin in three days."

**Chapter 9 - Behind the cursed eye**

Allen continued to stare at Liz. He knew how she would be after this, he knew the meaning behind her words.

_The time has come__._

Stretching out his right hand, he patted her head softly.

"It's okay, Liz," he soothed. "It's okay now. You can rest."

And somehow, the light shined weaker, until it finally stopped, prompting Elizabeth to fall down exactly on Allen's arms. Carrying her bridal-style to the bed, he called Alice over.

"Get everyone together at the Vault." Seeing that she would use her innocence, he warned her. "_Running._ This raisers aren't recharged yet, and we will not spend our reserves until the fight begins, ok?"

Alice pouted. She would have to leave those two alone again (she wasn't considering the sleeping Liz). But then, Allen smiled at her, she blushed and smiled back, nodding her head and rushing out of the room. Lenalee turned an angry look towards Allen, who only waved one of his hands dismissively.

Allen looked back to Liz. She was pale, shivering and sweating at the same time. He caressed her head, turning to her and giving her a loving and fraternal look. That person, that small life, was his only blood-related family. The last link to the parents he would never see again, the life that he couldn't live.

Lenalee looked at him with sad eyes. This man in front of her was the sun of her life now. He was suffering and she couldn't do anything to help him. Cursing her uselessness, she approached behind him, placing her arms around his neck and rested her head on top of his. Allen used his free hand and placed it upon hers, squeezing it.

They stayed like that for a while: Allen caressing Liz's head and squeezing Lenalee's hands that were still firmly embracing him. Suddenly, Lenalee started humming a lullaby. Allen let himself be engulfed by her melody, closed his eye and drifted off.

He woke up on an endless corridor, with very little illumination. In the very end was a cross shaped door. A soft song echoed through the air, and Allen understood.

_He was inside the 1__4th's memories again._

Reaching out to the door, he opened it, only to find the same organ room that seemed to be in his dreams lately. Only that this time, there wasn't anyone on the piano. Looking around, he noted numerous empty frames hanging on the walls. On the corner of the room, right in front of the instrument was the only frame with a picture on it. The same picture Allen had in his room back at the Order.

"_Mana__,"_ he thought, and suddenly the world surrounding him began to change.

The scenery started to take form again as he heard a voice far away.

"…-_ght?_ "

He heard the same voice for the second time, a voice that he recognized and knew very well.

"_Master!!!"_

He blinked, and the image changed to a lost alley in England. Allen's visible eye widened as he saw the two people that were in the place.

"_Hey, are you alright? Oi!" Cross Marian hated the type of things that he had to do __as an exorcist. He liked beautiful people (women, as he would prefer), wine and gambling. But now he was stuck on a dirty and smelly alley, looking for a young man with various crosses decorating his forehead._

_Crosses?_

"_A noah!" He thought, and smiled. Finally something worth discovering. Perhaps he could do some experiments…_

_His line of thought was interrupted as the younger one awoke._

"_Where am I?" __Cecil__ blinked, trying to put away the haziness he was feeling due to blood loss._

_Blood? "Ah, the Earl…" __Cecil__ thought, reminded of why he was in this state. He looked up to see a red-haired man, barely thirty old, wearing a coat with an emblem of a cross on his left breast. __Cecil__ knew something about that man. He heard the Earl saying things about this…_

_The Black Order._

_Exorcists._

_**Our enemies**__._

_The __noah smiled evilly. Who could have guessed that his chance would come so early?_

_Revenge._

_Cross stared at the young __noah who stared back at him. Their minds were almost synchronized._

"_This one will be of some use…"_

_---_

Suddenly, the memories began to accelerate, and Allen could see all of the so-called adventures that the 14th claimed to had with his master. They argued, laughed, almost killed the other but, without notice, they had become "friends".

Allen snapped as a special memory passed by. He closed his eyes and prayed, something he hadn't done for a very long time. Then, it slowed down, and stopped at one moment that Allen somehow knew was the turning point of all the events.

As he saw the duo entering a particular city on England, he clenched his fists and followed them.

Komui was staring at the ceiling again. Not that he had much to do. But he didn't regret what he had done. Reminded of Lenalee these past one and a half years, he cherished the thought of her happy again.

_Her smile._

Allen's face appeared, and he felt a bit of resentment towards him. But at the same time, memories of Allen and Lenalee together and how happy she was with him flowed in his mind.

At this time, he was glad his little sister had chosen the white-haired boy.

"Lenalee is getting married."

He snapped and activated his battle mode.

"L-LENALEEEEEEE!!!! MY SWEET LITTLE LENALEE!!! WHO'S THE BASTARD??? WHERE IS HE??? WALKER, IT'S YOU, ISN'T IT???"

He returned at normal as he caught sight of the one had said it.

"Reever!! What the hell are you doing here? You'll be accused too!!"

"Did you really think we would let you stay here, Chief? Besides, they're so occupied preparing for the battle that the security here is low. Not that would be a problem for the science division anyway…" The Australian man said, as he skillfully handled a laser cutter to break a hole into the cell.

Komui sent him a bemused look, then sighed.

"Now let's hurry up!! Everyone is preparing to depart already!!!" Reever said, as Komui left the cell and the two of them started to run away from the prison. The Australian completed "Let's help your brother-in-law."

A huge "whack" echoed in the Order.

---

A carriage rushed through France's streets. Inside, the Millennium Earl, Road Kamelot, Tyki Mikk and Cecile silently waited to arrive at the port, where a ship waited for them.

"Why can't we use the new Ark or simply use some akuma to fly over there? We're sloooooow!!" Road whined, impatient. She couldn't wait to meet Allen again. Her vision caught Cecile staring blankly through the window, and she sulked. Somehow, that person awoke terrible memories…

She snapped back to reality as Tyki spoke to her. "Your father said he needed time for the arrangements, didn't he? So we can waste some time until we arrive at England."

As he said that, his wounds ached briefly. He himself couldn't wait anymore.

"Maa, maa!!! Calm down, you two. It's really rare for us to travel together like this, so let's enjoy it!!! Cecile, why don't you sing for us? It'll make time pass faster!!" The Earl exclaimed with false jubilance. He was growing tired of playing his games…

Cecile stared at him, and then her mouth opened to produce a lyric-less melody. As she sung, the carriage accelerated.

Road put her head out of the window to let the wind run by her hair. "Awesome!!! Faster!!" She looked ahead to the front and saw the driver and the horses passing their limits. "I think we'll need a new carriage…"

As soon as she said that, the carriage started to slow down and stopped. They got out of it and noticed that they were already near the port.

"Humm… We can walk the rest of the way, can't we?" The Earl said, sweat dropping, causing Road and Tyki to turn accusatory looks towards him. They sighed and proceeded towards the bay.

As they put some distance from the carriage, the horses and drivers turned into ashes. From far away, a shadow observed them, and the Earl congratulated the youngest noah.

"Good job, Cecile."

---

"Everyone is here?" Leverrier stated, eyeing every Crow member in the room.

"The Order personnel isn't here, commander… We assumed that they're planning something behind our backs, sir!" The leader of the Crows shouted.

"Pay them no attention. We've already achieved what we desired: we had the Vatican approve to begin the war and extinct the noah from the face of earth." The toothbrush-moustached man exclaimed, gaining the attention of everyone.

"In the following days, we'll march through fire. Doesn't matter what circumstances we face, this unity will not back down!!! We're the holy army of the conquest!!!" He cried out, reinforcing the belief inside them. "We'll show them the real power of the Third Genesis of the Exorcists!! Unity Crow, set out!!"

"YES SIR!!!" They exclaimed in unison and marched through the Order's front door. Out there, a militia sent by the Vatican waited to aid them. Three thousand men and he had them at his command. Malcolm grinned evilly.

"It's time. The name of the Leverrier family will soar through time!"

As he said that, Rou Fa, Rikei and Crowley watched as the so called "army" set out to the battlefield.

It was time to update the situation to the supervisor.

Allen continued to follow his master and the 14th through the streets. It was uncannily familiar to him and, at the same time, unknown. Something caught the duo's attention as they rushed down an open alley. Allen accelerated as well, not wanting to lose sight of them.

They stopped somewhere ahead, looking on the next alley to a young man slightly older than Cecil.

"Mana!!!" Allen exclaimed, though his foster father couldn't hear him.

Cross looked to the noah, then back to Mana. Confused, he asked.

"_It's him?"_

Cecil stared at his brother with emotionless eyes, but Cross could see his hands shaking.

"_Yes."_

"_That's it? After twenty-three years separated from him, that's all you have to say?"_

Cecil continued to stare at Mana. His older brother was doing acrobatics with a ball. The way he looked seemed somewhat like a buffoon…

_A clown__._

Allen smiled to himself. Mana was the same he remembered: Stupid, crazy and always trying to make people smile. A smile he himself couldn't bring, neither could the tears.

Then, people started to run and the sky turned a dark tone. Allen's left eye ached behind the eye-patch and he struggled to breath. Maintaining the concentration on Mana, he heard the 14th inside his head speak.

"**Get ready, lad. Now you'll understand everything. And when you do…" **He paused, trying to dramatize the moment. **"…I'll be reborn."**

Allen tried to spoke, but the pain on his left eye was mind-numbing. Looking to Mana with a blurry vision, he saw a group of akuma attacking the citizens. Mana tried to protect a small girl, when an akuma rushed towards him.

Cecil's mind was blank. His body moved by itself as he put himself between Mana and the akuma.

"_Ahh!! My experimental sample!!" _ Cross cried, putting his hands on his head. Then, he switched to a more serious tone "_Maria isn't here. I'll have to make a little mess here."_

Clutching his gun with his left hand, he aimed towards the akuma who was going to strike Cecil.

"_Invocate!"_

Allen looked to his master, still trying to remain conscious. Cross shoot three timesto eliminate the threat.

"_Now, you stupid brat, if you do something like that again, I'll hit you until you can't even walk!" The general shouted to __Cecil__, who seemed unaffected by it._

In that split second, both of them forgot about the little girl. Mana looked to her.

"_Are you alright?" _He asked. The girl smiled at him. But that smile turned into an evil grin as she transformed into an akuma.

Allen tried, tried hard to rush, but the pain only get worse. Then he heard the 14th's voice again.

"**Stay here, boy. There's nothing you can do anyway. Just watch… until the **_**end."**_

Cecil turned rapidly, his legs moving faster then he thought possible. The wounds the Earl inflicted on him 3 years ago started to open. Cross had said one time that they would never close. Grinning, he reached his pocket to bring out a mouth organ, and played it. The akuma slowed down, but it was already too close to stop.

And so, Mana closed his eyes and waited for the worst. He felt something warm on his face. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the akuma with an arm through Cecil. His younger brother looked to him with sad eyes, then said,

"_Long time no see, brother."_

Cross rapidly executed the akuma but, before he disappeared, his words echoed in the air.

"_You'll never be at peace… traitor."_

Cecil's eyes widened briefly, and was reminded of what he still had to do.

_Revenge__._

_Revenge._

_Revenge._

Cross was at his side first, with Mana paralyzed where he was. Without saying anything, the General kneeled down, as the noah said,

"_If you look out for Mana, I'll come back to him." _That said, Mana approached him and grabbed his hand. Cecil's hand shined for a moment, and something was passed to Mana right there. Looking back to his brother, he watched as he disappeared in ashes.

Allen stared, shocked, confused, but he understood. Everything.

"**You see, boy? The reason I was called "the player" wasn't just because**** of my instruments."** The 14th said, as Allen's memories passed by.

_His first encounter with Mana__._

_The song._

_Mana's death._

_The cursed eye._

"**I played with the Earl's greed. With Cross****'s good-will. With yours and Mana's relationship."**

Allen was angered beyond the limit by now.

"**I knew that I would****'ve had my chances at revenge better with an "unsuspicious" existence. You're my cover." **The noah said, and continued. **"I knew that Cross would believe me. I knew that you would try to revive Mana because of the feeling of family he awoke in you. I knew the Earl wouldn't resist a new akuma. By the way, how is that cursed eye of yours?"**

The white-haired one clinched his teeth as the noah provoked him.

"**I'm the responsible for Mana's death****."**

----

68 hours until the final battle.


	11. Resolution

In the last chapter...

"**I knew that I would've had my chances at revenge better with an "unsuspicious" existence. You're my cover." **The noah said, and continued. **"I knew that Cross would believe me. I knew that you would try to revive Mana because of the feeling of family he awoke in you. I knew the Earl wouldn't resist a new akuma. By the way, how is that cursed eye of yours?"**

The white-haired one clinched his teeth as the noah provoked him.

"**I'm the responsible for Mana's death."**

----

68 hours until the final battle.

* * *

**Chapter 10 – Resolution**

"**That's it, boy. I'm the one who provoked Mana's death. That day, when the carriage snatched away his life, it was me who controlled him and threw his body in front of it.**" The 14th continued his monologue, unaffected by the cold stare and ragging sounds Allen was sending to him. "**It was quite dangerous, you know? For a moment, seeing Mana dying from inside, I was a little dubious if you would really try to resurrect him, if the Earl was going to appear, if this, if that… but then, it was all for naught. Sometimes, I've amazed even myself."**

The noah grinned at Allen, who just continued to stare coldly at him, clutching his eye-patch and struggling to breathe. This person (it was still too complicated and he was confused, but they were human in Allen's eyes, even if he tried to deny it now) had stolen the father figure of his life. He stole his family, and now he was trying to steal his existence.

Allen snapped back as Cecil spoke again. "**I still remember the day you tried to resurrect Mana. When his soul begun to merge with the akuma, I knew I had just seconds to jump out before it was too late. It was painful, wasn't? That slash through your left eye?**" He grinned again, and continued. "**And after that wound, I was here. Inside your mind. **_**My mind.**_"

"It isn't yours." Allen said, sternly. Even in the situation he was now, even if his vision was blinded with anger and his mind clouded with fury, he felt somewhat calm. The time he passed in the Cathedral, father Lucius's teachings, Elizabeth, commanding missions with Alice and Ray, everything, had matured him.

He was still childish in some aspects (although he would never admit) but Allen felt that he had grown. Lenalee's image floated in his mind, and he smiled. It was _his life, _and he would never give it up.

"I won't let you have it. Never." Still clutching his eye-patch, he put himself up to his feet again and he looked to the crying Mana down there, with Cecil's body on his arms. Then, Allen turned his back to the scene, and walked away.

The noah's grin faltered as he watched the white-haired man's form disappear on the fog.

"**For now, stupid brat!! It'll be mine, do you hear?"** Cecil screamed, and that made Allen stop. The noah continued, more calmly. "**And when it happens, I'll kill everyone who is important to you."**

Allen turned his left side, the one with the eye patch, so the noah missed the determined look he had on his right one. "Before you do that, _I'll kill you."_ Then, he started to walk again, and his mind shut down.

He woke up with Lenalee's voice filling up his eardrums.

"-n-kun! Allen-kun!" He blinked his visible eye, and then he noted two things: first, two tear-eyed girls staring worriedly at him. Second, Lenalee standing right on his lap. He blushed slightly, but smiled nonetheless. Lenalee blinked at his reaction, and soon her mind clicked on the situation. "I-I'm sorry!! I'll get off now!!" She blushed hard and tried to stand up, but Allen hugged her tightly.

Bring his mouth to her ear, he soothed to her, "Thank you." Shocked for a moment, she smiled, placed her arms around his neck, and hugged him back.

"You're welcome," she replied.

They stayed like this for awhile, until they heard a cough. Reminded that Liz was there too, they jumped from each other really quickly. Lenalee was the most embarrassed of the two. Stuttering, she tried to explain herself "Y-You know, it's not like… I mean it is… or not… awww…" Allen giggled at her, what made her pout, and Liz giggled as well. Soon Lenalee joined them and the three laughed.

"I'm sorry, Liz. It's not I'm trying to steal your brother or anything, but…" She blushed hard, and her eyes showed a loving look when she proceeded "…I love Allen." The mentioned couldn't help to smile at situations like this. He had a blood-related family, friends, and the love of the girl he fell for.

Aside the war drawing closer and the 14th's menace, he thought "_It can't get better than this"_. It was times like this that he wanted to cherish, to remember and tell to his children and the generations after them.

Children?

He snapped at the thought and blushed. The two girls in the room were giving him a puzzled look and, even without knowing the meaning, the Chinese one felt shy and blushed as well. Liz broke the atmosphere, asking,

"What were you thinking, onii-chan?"

Allen just shook his head, the blush disappearing as he changed to a more serious tone.

"I saw the 14th's memories again."

The girls were wide-eyed and, with full attention now, asked at the same time,

"W-what did you see?"

"After we are all together, I'll tell you. Now, to rest, young lady." He said, pointing to Liz and tugging her in the bed. "You're tired, Liz. You know these prophecies take a heavy toll in your body. Especially your eyes…"

Saying that, his eyes turned sorrowful, a look that Lenalee hadn't seen since their days in the Order. She hated to see people sad, especially _him._ But she had decided, a very long time ago, that she would not mourn or sulk in the corner of her room anymore. She would be strong for her friends and family. For _Allen._

Then, she asked something that was bugging her since Allen had stopped to talk.

"What's happening to her eyes?"

Allen looked at her, his eyes so desperate that her heart got stuck in her throat.

"She's almost blind."

---

"Thank you for your cooperation." Link said, bowing.

Lucius stayed silent for awhile, just staring at the young Crow member. After all they have talked, he didn't really know if this man was friend or foe, at least to Allen. But Link was quick to reassure him.

"Rest assured, I'm in no position to cause harm or use this information for malicious endings. I'm purely doing my job, but it doesn't mean that I'll sell my frie… _comrades _to Central."

Lucius smiled. He was glad that Allen had such good friends, or comrades, like Link said. The white-haired boy had such sorrowful eyes when he first came here. It softened a bit along the days, but he never looked genuinely happy, even when he smiled.

They heard a knock, and the old man answered the door, almost being slammed to the wall by Alice.

"F-father! It's Liz! Prophecy! Taichou!" She screamed as she entered the room, spiting the words incoherently.

"Calm down, child! We didn't understand anything, neither me nor the gentleman there." Lucius said, pointing to Link.

Alice blushed, embarrassed. But she quickly recovered as soon as she reminded herself of Allen and Lenalee alone in that room (again, she forgot about Liz), and rushed.

"Anyway, Taichou said that everyone have to meet at the _Vault_. Now." And she proceeded towards the door. Alice almost bumped into Ray who came in almost at the same time.

"WHOAAA! Slow down, will ya? You nearly smacked me to the wall." Ray said, weaving his hands in the air. "Are you in a hurry or what?"

She only stared coldly at him, snorted, and passed by. When she was a couple of feet of distance, Alice shouted to him.

"We're nearly in war and you ask me if I'm in a hurry?" She said, and continued. "If you're free, go get the fiery head and the old panda. Taichou wants all of us in the Vault immediately. I'm going to search for the samurai and the time lady. Now move your ass!!"

"You're not my boss you know…" Ray muttered to himself.

"Did you say something?" The yellow-haired girl asked dangerously.

"Nothing, nothing!! I swear!" The black-haired boy answered, waving his hands and sweating. It was never easy to argue with a furious Alice.

The girl sighed, and dashed through the corridor. Ray followed soon after.

Lucius and Link left the room as well. As they walked towards the Vault, Link affirmed to the old man one last time:

"You can trust me, _Lucius Patrick Walker."_

----

"Are you serious, Panda?" Lavi shouted. He flinched and closed his eyes as the old one raised his arm to smack him, but the hit never came. When he opened his eyes again, Bookman was already leaving the room "Oi! There has to be a way!! You hearing me, your damn old fool?"

Bookman stopped in his path and looked to Lavi from the corner of his eye. He had told the junior one several times already, and he felt tired. But it was their work to stay aside, to let others to do history, and they to record it.

As angry as he was to not found a safe answer, he stayed calm. Staring at Lavi, he said with a strong voice. "This conversation dies here, _junior._ I don't want to make you chose your 50th alias, Lavi. Nothing that we spoke here will leave this room, do you understand?"

Lavi was shocked. The old panda had never reacted this way before. Perhaps it was too dangerous indeed…

Their little chat was interrupted as Ray barged into the Library. He almost fell onto the ground, but he regained balance and stared at the two others.

"What? Did I interrupt something?"

Bookman waved his hands, and Ray took that and continued. "Taichou wants to meet everyone at the Vault. I'll guide you there."

They started their path to the meeting point. At that time, just one thought passed in Lavi's mind:

"_I won't let you disappear, my friend."_

_---_

Miranda was collecting flowers, playing with the children, trying to set her mind free of any bad thoughts. Then again, everything around her seemed to remind of Allen and everything he had done for her.

_Self-sacrifice__._

She winced at the thought. Miranda knew that Allen would always risk his life to his friends. Even die for them. She reminded of Lenalee back on the ship, in China.

_Powerless__._

_Fragile._

_Alone._

They were her first friends, the ones who helped her when nobody would. The ones who were wounded to protect her.

_The ones she wanted to be happy together__._

She snapped out of her thoughts as she saw Kanda hurrying through the crowd. It was a really bemusing scene to see: children going around him, trying to touch his blade, pulling his hair. The annoyed look on his face was priceless, and she giggled.

The giggle stopped as he sent a hard glare towards her, making her shiver. Then, the surprise of surprises, he smirked. Almost a smile. Miranda blinked, confused. Then she saw Alice approaching him. She saw him grunt and point to her direction.

Alice waved at her. Then, grabbing Kanda by his arm, hurried him and pointed to Miranda to follow them. The German woman smiled, and a happy feeling consumed her.

_Everyone will pass through this. Alive._

_----_

"It seems that everyone agrees with minister Kamelot, am I right?" Cyril's secretary said, eyeing everyone in the room. The committee was surrounded by akuma, and Cyril was standing firmly at the far end of the table.

"You're insane, Kamelot!! You're trying to begun a war against humanity, and using this…these _things." _One of the members shouted, only to have his head ripped off by an akuma.

"Anyone still disagree?" The noah said, smirking. He sooo liked to play this game. "Now, I would appreciate if all of you consented to my _crusade._ Just a sign and everything will be over."

Shivering, the other members complied. As soon as they signed the document and it was safe in Cyril's hands, Road's 'father' walked towards the door.

"They're not useful anymore. Kill them."

As the door closed, two sounds were heard;

A shrill scream followed by evil laughter.

---

65 hours until the final battle.

* * *

Yeah, I'm a little late... just a little... Gomen!

A huge thanks for Demonic Angel 7, addenza, MitarashiiDango, NakatsuMeMi and glon morski for the reviews. I'm glad you guys are still with me!

And again, a huuuuuuuuge hug-thanks to Nikki, my most special beta-reader. Thank you soooooo much! :D

Next time: Allen it's forced to see that companions are a lot more then just co-workers

Chapter 11 will be: **Friends**

See ya^^


	12. Friends

In the last chapter...

"They're not useful anymore. Kill them."

As the door closed, two sounds were heard;

A shrill scream followed by evil laughter.

---

65 hours until the final battle.

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Friends**

Allen was looking numbly through the window from Liz's room. She was still resting, with Lenalee watching over her. The Chinese woman shifted her sight between the Allen and Liz, unknowing what passed through the white-haired's mind. Watching his back, she silently prayed.

_Let him live. Please._

At the same time, Allen's mind processed his options, considering, pondering, planning. His one and a half years in the Cathedral made him throw away some of his insecurities and gain other ones. He matured, but much of the fifteen-old Allen remained on him. His drive to protect mankind, and his vow to save the akuma.

_His promise to never stop walking__._

He smiled sadly, noticing a few children playing near the window. One of them spotted him and waved, which he returned. To let these people live, to protect that small happiness, he would be ready to throw his life away. If that meant that his loved ones and the people he swore to guard would be safe, then he would do it. Even if they hated him afterwards…

_They would keep walking in his place__._

As if she had some mind connection with him, Lenalee suddenly felt a mix of anger and sadness, for reasons she didn't knew herself, but probably related with the white-haired man standing at the window. Standing up, her eyes mirroring her emotions, she walked towards him. As she brought her hand to touch his shoulder, the door slammed open, revealing a breathless Alice.

The blond girl scanned the room. Liz was sleeping (and she internally yelped for barging in the room like that) and the two other one were at the window. Noticing Lenalee's eyes, her sixth sense tingled and her eyes adorned the same look. Lenalee blinked, but smiled nonetheless. If the two of them were thinking about _him,_ they could throw away their differences…

_For now__._

Alice blinked, surprised. Then, she pouted, and spoke.

"The others were already at the Vault. We're the last ones."

Allen turned from the window, and voiced his own thoughts.

"Call Anna and Arthur here. We'll need someone to watch over Liz, and I saw them through the window not much time ago." Looking to Lenalee, he motioned to her. "Go with her. We'll meet at the Vault."

The black haired woman was angry, but complied with his wish. As the two girls opened the door, they looked back to him, exchanged a nod between themselves, and left, leaving a dumbfounded Allen.

--

"Chief! Could you please give a hand here?" Reever cried, his hands full of their so-called 'creations'.

Komui was pouting on a corner of the room, hanging one of Lenalee's old photos. Bak was nearly drooling to get his hands on it.

"I won't! You keep making jokes with MY Lenalee and the Walker punk!" He said, faking a cry.

Reever slapped his forehead. Even in time of crisis, they had to bear with a childish supervisor with a sister complex. The others were just thinking one thing:

_He's just avoiding work__._

Then, something popped on the Australian man's mind. If Komui wanted to play hard, so they would play hard.

"Ok, if you don't want to help, then don't help. However, the more we dawdle here, more time your _brother-in-law_ has to resume the marriage."

Hearing this, Komui entered work mode at full.

"Everyone, move! I don't want to see slackers here! Reever, give me the maps of Blackburn vicinities. Asian branch's science division will aid the repair of any damage. Bak, tell Fou to help the founders. We'll need some battle experience, and she's the most experienced of us. Sammo-san, try to contact the Generals outside the order frequency. We don't need more trouble from Central right now. We'll try to design a plan of travel using the old routes."

Everyone stopped dead on their tracks with the amount of information Komui sent to them. Seeing that his words had the opposite effect he desired, he tried again.

"The faster we prepare, the faster we can see our friends again. The final war is near and they'll need our help. Now move!"

As Komui mentioned new assignments to some lower personnel, Bak eyed Reever, who smirked back to him.

This man indeed knew how to move the supervisor.

--

"Are we there yet?" Road pestered Tyki again. It was the seventh time she asked in the last twenty minutes. Fighting the urge to jump into the ocean, he calmed himself and said,

"No. You know that traveling by sea it's slower than by ark. So stop asking already!"

"Maa, calm down Tyki-pon," The Earl said, causing Tyki to turn a venomous look to him. "She's just eager to see _her _Allen again, isn't sweetie?"

Road noted the Earl's disgusting forced smile, but didn't pressed it, and answered.

"Of course! He's my Allen after all!" She beamed.

Cecile was in the exact same position she was in the carriage: looking outside. Tyki wondered what was so interesting in watching the waves and that huge amount of water, but the little girl didn't seemed interested in anything after all…

Suddenly, his wounds started to ache and he winced. Noticing this, Rhode reached a hand to his hair and soothed.

"It's your wounds again?"

Tyki couldn't help but smile at her concerned. It hurt, indeed, but he tried to smile to dismiss her worries.

"Don't worry. I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all."

Rhode sent him a dubious look, then nodded.

"Good. 'Cause I don't want you accusing Allen for anything when we see him again."

He sweat dropped, the Earl laughed and Rhode smiled. Cecile was in her own world and all Tyki could think was:

_It'll be a looong way until England__._

_---  
_

After Arthur and Anna came to Liz's room, Allen took his way to the Vault. Below the Cathedral was an enormous "battle headquarters", were they left for missions and sustained all the 'science' behind the secret city. There were other people besides the citizens, and the exorcists could see that they were the ones responsible for the technology there… exactly like the Order's.

As Allen entered, the personnel there showed an 'army-like' respect towards him. Indeed, in the Order he was already considered General level…

"I see everyone is here already. Let's go to the meeting room." Allen said, pointing to a large silver door in the end of one of the corridors. Walking towards there, they passed by another set of rooms.

"What do they do here?" Lavi asked, voicing the question of the entire group.

Lucius motioned to talk, but Allen spoke first.

"Technology development and surface monitoring. Some of my Master's research is studied and, if proved to be viable and necessary, developed." As they passed by one specific room, he said, "The raisers were developed here. Actually, we're still trying to find another form to fully recharge then. They will not be charged a 100% without the main source."

Lenalee noticed the small sadness on his voice when he spoke, so she decided to ask

"What's the main source?"

Without even look behind or stopping, he answered.

"Elizabeth's power."

----

They reached the large silver door. It was clear to then why that place was called the Vault. Entering the room, Lenalee asked Allen,

"Liz is okay now?"

He looked a little different now, his stoic mask in place once more. She frowned at him, but didn't press, and he answered a while later.

"Arthur and Anna are with her. They'll look after her."

Something was left unsaid and she noted.

_When I'm not here__ anymore_ .

She tried to speak to him again, but Alice tugged her sleeve and said in a low voice.

"When he is in business mode like this, it's better not ask too many things. He gets extremely cold."

"It happens all the time? This change on him?" The dark haired girl asked, in a equally voice.

"6 months to now it became more frequent. Father Lucius theorized that his seal it's weakening, so that brings up some traces of the 14th personality."

Lenalee nodded, then the two of them reunited with the others.

They were aligned in a round table, similar to the old King Arthur tales. It made sense, after all, if they called themselves Crusaders…

After everyone sat down (almost everyone, since Kanda and Link refused to do the same), Allen finally said,

"There are 2 things we have to discuss. First, 9 hours ago, Elizabeth made another prophecy." Taking the silence as an encouragement, he proceeded. "In exactly 63 hours from now, the final war against the Earl will begin."

Lenalee and Alice were the only ones unaffected by the news. Kanda could barely suppress his eagerness to engage in combat. Miranda started tearing up and prayed. Lavi and Bookman exchanged looks. Ray put his hand on his head, unknowing if he felt excited or desperate. Link casted a worried look to Lucius, who spoke to Allen.

"How was she after the prophecy?"

Allen looked to him, his right eye showing emotion, but the rest of his face motionless.

"Weary, but fine. The Romans are taking care of her now."

"You said it before right? Arthur and Anna. Who're they?" Lavi asked, something that even Lenalee wanted to know.

Alice decided to answer that one, didn't want to press her captain as he was now.

"Do you remember that little girl that came to met Taichou as soon as we entered? The one named Mia?"

The group nodded, and the blond girl continued.

"They're her parents. They've adopted five more children, including Sean, but Mia it's the only blood-related daughter."

An "oooooooohhhhh" echoed, turning to be Ray and Lavi. They grinned for each other, but were hit respectively by Alice and Bookman.

Sighing, Allen decide to continue.

"The second thing: I saw the 14th memories again." That caught everyone's attention, and silence reigned over the room. The white haired young man continued. "I've come to know the reason of my scar, the final encounter between Mana and him and the trigger that could bring the 14th out. As I'm now, I still have one 'ace-in-the-hole' but, if it fails, I've a favor to ask all of you…"

Lenalee was already casting him an angry look before he finished.

"…would you kill me?"

----

The room was silent for an instant. Allen, noticing that someone had yet to answer, asked again

"Would you?"

"No."

Everyone was wide-eyed when they notice the source of the voice…

Kanda Yuu.

"You really are pathetic," The samurai started. "Would you give up something just because _you_ think that's over? Have you ever tried to talk any of us about this?"

"He's right." Lavi said, standing up. "Even if we don't know other options now…" Bookman eyed him from the corner of his eye "…it's too soon to give up. And if this 14 th guy really shows up, we'll tear him off you and give him a nice beating. Or bury him inside you again… Whatever."

"You have people that worry about you now, Walker," Link said, and Allen cast a hidden look to Lenalee, "and you have a family." Now, Link cast one to Lucius. "Would you be ready to throw away your life and bring them sadness?"

Miranda tried to talk, but her tears didn't let her do it. Allen looked sadly to his friends. He didn't want to give up, but didn't want them to be hurt too. One way or other they would be hurt nonetheless…

Suddenly Lenalee and Alice were very close to him. He blinked, and the last thing he knew were the stinging marks on his cheeks. Looking for the girls who had slapped him, he saw the teary-angry looks that they had adorned on Liz's room.

"Don't give up yet. We're still here with you." Alice said.

"Yeah. And even if you give yourself up, we won't give up on you." Lenalee spoke, her tender eyes catching his sad right one.

Allen was silent. His mask was still there, but they could see a small smile too.

"I… Thank you."

The majority of the group smiled at him (aside Kanda, who just grunted and turned around, and Link, who just nodded).

The two girls who marked Allen's cheeks smiled to each other. Alice jumped to Allen's right arm and squeezed. Lenalee tried her best to stay calm, but jealously bubbled inside her and she did the same with his left one. Alice stuck her tongue to her, and their friends laughed.

Allen sighed, his thoughts and his heart lighter than ever.

_If it's for them, it's worth fight__ing for._

---------------

62 hours until the final battle.

* * *

Okay, so I'm late ¬¬... Sorry! Reaaaly sorry! Extremely sorry!!! I promise I won't do it again...

Ahem...

Regarding plot and everything, I've made a slight change in the end of chapter 10 (From "**50 hours until the final battle**" to "**65 hours until the final battle**". It couldn't had passed that much time...)

Now for the thankies \o\ \o| |o| |o/ /o/

NakatsuMeMi, Nevi-chan(don't worry about it ^^), glon morski, Astaline Nihtingale, Amanda, crazy10118, addenza, Kaiko Aozora, zutarababe and MitarashiDango for the reviews. I love you guys T_T

Nikki, my most dear beta reader (:P). Thank you so much *.*

Next chapter: Noah's meeting. Komui preparations. CROW's movement. Allen's decision

Chapter 12 will be: **Each one's thoughts**

See ya^^


	13. Each one's thoughts

In the last chapter...

The two girls who marked Allen's cheeks smiled to each other. Alice jumped to Allen's right arm and squeezed. Lenalee tried her best to stay calm, but jealously bubbled inside her and she did the same with his left one. Alice stuck her tongue to her, and their friends laughed.

Allen sighed, his thoughts and his heart lighter than ever.

If it's for them, it's worth fighting for.

---------------

62 hours until the final battle.

* * *

**Chapter 12 - Each one's thoughts**

After their 'meeting' in the Vault, Allen temporarily dismissed the group.

"If anyone has injuries, tiredness, or any type of sickness, please follow Alice to the infirmary. It's best to rest for now."

Lavi presented him an annoyed look.

"Just like this? Don't we need to make a combat plan or do some training or anything like tha-"

"We're not ready to plan yet. I've some things to confirm and we'll need some 'outside' information. Timcampy will give your communicators back, but you can't use them until I say you can. And training now only would increase fatigue. We'll need everyone in top form or the closest to it. It's useless to obtain more strength if you don't have stamina to use it in the battlefield."

Lavi pouted, a little hurt for his friend's action, but he didn't say anything. Besides that, Lenalee was stunned at Allen's 'battle orientation' and Alice was ready to die of fangirling. The others didn't react too much and just nodded.

Alice was still in fangirl mode until Ray teased her.

"To much heat to handle?"

She snapped and started to chase the boy to outside the room.

As the rest of them begun to leave, Lenalee snatched Allen's arm and pulled him to face her.

"We need to talk. **In p****rivate**."

He gave her a tender look, but the rest of his face remained unchanged. Then, he brought his mouth to her ear, making her blush, and murmured something.

As he looked in her face again, she was blushing and smiling. Then, she nodded and left the room too.

Already catching up with Miranda, Lenalee's mind replayed Allen's words again and again.

_"I've__ got something to ask you too. Meet me at the lake six hours from now . If you wait for me, I'll go to you."_

_

* * *

  
_

"So, I guess everyone is here, right?" The Earl said, eyeing the Noah members gathered in the ship's deck.

Aside Cyril, Lulubel, Skin Boric and Jasdevi, each one of them was there.

"Haa..." The third disciple, Joyd, said. Turning to the Earl, he asked, "Master, why have you called us to this place? I haven't seen any enemies here worth fighting..."

The Earl sighed, looking around and seeing the damage Joyd had done. Every human in the ship was dead, including the capitan. Shaking his head, he turned to compliment the other members and said:

"I'm glad all you could make here. Tryde, Joyd, Fiddler, Mercym, Bomdomu, Lustul, Mightra." Cecile tugged his sleeve and he noticed her. "Aah.. of course. Some of you didn't know her, right? She is the 15th Noah... Cecile, bearing the "Melody", "the Artist"."

Fiddler approached her, patting her head "So this little one is the successor of "the Musician"? I don't sense much power within her..."

The little girl snapped, looking angrily at the 6th disciple. Then, she intoned a high pitched song, and the whole ship started to tremble. The other Noah's were somewhat surprised, but didn't show much. Cecile only stopped when the Earl patted her head.

"It's okay, sweetie. He didn't mean that, right?" The first disciple said in a half-threatening tone.

"Ah.. yeah" Fiddler answered. Did he just have a cold sweat?

"Good. Now Cecile, if you don't control your temper, aunt Lulubel will get mad at you."

"Now that you mentioned, where is she?" Tyki asked. Somehow it perturbed him that he didn't know every detail…

"Ummm… Let's say she's just a little ahead of us…"

Saying so, the Earl walked to the front of the deck, waving his walking stick like a professional juggler. Stopping at the very end of the ship, he opened his arms and sung.

"_This is the beginning of the end~!__"_

And so, marking the reunion of the Noah family, an horrendous laughter echoed in the air…

* * *

The Crow unit moved at an incredible pace. Like a strict army, they moved through instructions given by Leverrier, whom followed them in a shielded vehicle. Several other vehicles traveled beside it. They had covered a lot of ground already, but still had much more to go.

As the shielded one stopped, the 'general' pronounced,

"We'll set an operations base middle way. There were reports of akuma groups attacking in all England. If they are grouping just in English lands, then they already know about the secret city."

As he said, the other members started to unpack some boxes they brought along, leaving the biggest vehicle to be the temporary HQ. Inside one of the other vehicles was a huge experimental container, with many wires and tubes on it.

One of supporters asked, "What's in there?"

Another one answered.

"In reality, I don't know. Mr. Leverrier says that it's crucial for the battle, so then maybe it's a Box full of weapons… Hehe"

They looked at each other and started to laugh. Suddenly, one member of the special unit appeared behind them and shouted.

"STOP THE LAZINESS AND GET BACK TO WORK!"

The other two rapidly moved back to what they were doing.

"Getting anxious, Duval?" Another Crow member asked, approaching the previous one.

Duval looked back, his eyes meeting a young woman, not older than twenty.

"You're too laid back, Eris. Don't forget what carelessness had done to your parents…"

"Hmph… It's not like they will attack right now. And even so, I could take care of them with a single hand."

The older man looked at her, sighed, and shook his head. He didn't want another headache right now…

He was brought to his senses when Eris pinned him with her finger.

"Hey, do you know what it's there anyway? It's creeping me out. Like it was sending out hatred…"

Before he could say anything, Leverrier appeared.

"This is the key of our victory," he said, approaching the container. "With this, our last card will bring the end of the war, and we'll stand on the top of the world."

Patting the huge metal box, he said, "Rest well, my little angry experiment…"

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Bak whined, tired of walking. They had been moving through a dense forest for almost 5 hours non stop. "That's it, I can't move anymore!"

He sat down, puffing. Wong hurried to his side, worried.

"Bak-sama, we can't stop now, or we'll be left behind!"

"But I'm tired!" The Asian Branch supervisor waved his arms like a little kid. "Can't we just stop for a whi-"

WHACK.

Before he could finish, Fou smacked his head.

"HURRY UP AND GET UP, BAKA BAK!"

"HOW DARE YOU TO HIT THE GREAT ME WHEN HE IS WEAK!"

The two continued to argue, and the rest of them stopped. Komui was at his limit to explode until Reever approached Bak. He murmured something that lit up the face of the supervisor, he got up and resumed their walk.

Reever sighed, then smiled. The smile left his face when he saw Krory, with his innocence activated, looking up to the moon. Johnny approached him.

"What's wrong, Krory-san?"

"I can smell it. The air is to much heavy, the trees are pouring out the scent of blood. Something very bad is going to happen..."

The others heard his words. Some where scared, others just uneasy. Noticing that,Komui turned to continue moving. Spotting an old hideout, he stopped

"We're spending the night here. It's probably best not to move much when it's dark. I can see that everyone is weary, and we're short handed of exorcists. The more experiencied ones will mount guard, taking turns. Tomorrow morning, we'll set up a new schedule."

There were semi-nods, trembling forms, and Komui knew that they wouldn't last much like that. Taking a deep breath, he centered himself, speaking again.

"I know that you're scared. I know that some of you have never been involved in something like this. I can't give you promises of safety. But our friends are out there preparing to battle to save the world. Can we let they do that all by themselves?" Eyeing everyone of them , he completed his words. "All I ask it's to have faith. Like I said, I can't promise everyone we'll be alright, but I'll promise this: I'll do everything in my power, and beyond that, to bring you home safe. You have my word!"

To himself, Jerry smiled. With newfound will, the others proceed to the hideout. As they approached it, Lou Fa tughed Reever's shirt.

"What did you say to chief Bak? It's rare to see someone who can reason with him besides Wong-san and Fou-san."

Looking sideways, he said in a lower voice, "I promised him new Lenalee photographs."

Rikei was near, heared and shouted in surprise.

"PICTURES OF LENALEE-SAN? I WANT SOME TOO!"

Hearing that, Komui snapped back to Reever.

"REEEEVVEEEERRRR!"

Slapping his forehead, he cursed himself silently.

_It's going to be a looong night._

* * *

Liz woke up with a gentle lullably consuming the air. She looked to the side of the bed, her eyes still blurry from sleep. Focusing her sight a little more, she saw Anna Roman sitting at the bed side, peeling a apple and singing graciously. She stopped when she saw Liz wake.

"Arthur! She's awake!"

Her husband hurried from the window to the bed. They considered the girl like their daughter, and were glad that she looked happier then ever after Allen came.

The silver haired girl smiled, sitting up. She was still weary, her eyes were still tired, but she needed to know something.

"Where's my brother?"

Anna and Arthur traded looks. The man nodded, speaking.

"He's at the Vault with everyone else. They're discussing something, but he promised to pass here later."

Sighing, she laid on the bed again. Since Allen's friends came, her time with him lessened considerably. Pouting, she brought the bed sheet to her head. Anna and Arthur giggled at the sight.

Then, the door snapped open, revealing Mia with a flower in her hand. Blushing, she approached the bed and, handing the flower to Liz, said, "Get well soon, Onee-chan!"

Liz uncovered her head, looked to Mia and smiled.

"Thank you, Mia-chan! Where is Sean-kun?"

"He was looking for a flower too. I found one first and came before him."

"He always said that one day he would marry Liz and become Allen-chan's brother," Anna said, teasing Liz. The said girl blushed and sttutered.

"M-Mou... A-Anna-san!"

The Roman family laughed at Elizabeth, whose head was again under the sheets.

Not farther from there, Sean was searching everywhere to find a fitting flower. One of the women of the city came to him.

"What're you doing, Sean?"

"I'm looking for a f... fulo... uer..."

"Flower?"

"Umm! That!" He nooded,his tiny hands waving in the air.

Smiling, the woman picked one of her basket and handed to him.

"Here! I'm sure that the person that will received from you will be very happy!"

Nodding happily, he thanked her.

"Thank you, _Aunt Bell!"_

_

* * *

  
_

Lenalee was waiting for Allen near the lake, just like he said. Sitting near the water, looking intently to the little waves produced by the wind. The moon was refleting, as if that lake was some sort of...

"Like a mirror, isn't?" She heard someone say behind her.

_Allen._

He sat up beside her, his right arm resting on his knee, the left leg stretched. He was looking to the lake, focusing on that same moon.

She eyed him from the corner of her eye. From her position, she could see his uncovered eye. He was wearing a sleveless shirt, and she wondered how could he not feel cold while she trembled a little. Looking to his face again, she noted the sad smile.

Clenching her fists, she asked, "Were you serious back there?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't "hmm" me! You know what I'm talking about!" She snapped, a little angrier than she intended.

His eyes never left the lake. After a minute or two, he answered.

"Yeah."

She looked away from his face. Bracing herself, she began to shake. Blame the cold or her own anger, she didn't know. Closing her eyes, small tears downed her face. Then she felt someone sitting behind her. As soon as she opened her eyes, two strong arms encircled her stomach, his head resting on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry... But I had to know if you were willing to do it."

Blushing madly, she almost didn't have the will to process his words. But she understood and, squeezing his arm, replied.

"Don't talk like that. Don't give up. Please. It's meaningless for me if we save the world... and I lose you."

"I know. Sometime back in my past, I only cared to destroy akuma. If I could save their souls, if I could bring them peace, it didn't matter if I lost my life. Then..." He caressed her abdomen. "...I met you. And then Kanda, Komui-san, Lavi, Bookman, Miranda, Krory-san, and all the people in the Order. You said to me that your world was like a puzzle. Mine it's like the solar system: all my friends are the planets and stars that form it and you... you're my sun."

She teared up, the blush didn't back down. She felt a strong set of fingers turning her face sideways, until she come face to face with Allen. She saw his smile, saw him close his eyes and she soon followed suit. Their lips met in a tender yet passioned kiss. Her mind shut down for a moment, dizziness consumed her and she felt weak yet strong. The kiss ended and, opening her eyes, she saw his smile again, his visible eye showing so much tenderness and love that her face burned.

They stayed like that for a while, until Allen got up and stretched his arms.

"Let's go. It's better rest while we can."

She pouted, but grabbed his hand nonetheless, and didn't let go when she was up. They started to walk, hand in hand. Allen squeezed her hand, catching her attention.

"If I make it out of this-" He started, but the glare she sent him make him correct himself. "When this is over, we might need other things to wake up your brother."

She stared at him for some time and then, something clicked on her mind. Smiling wide, she squeezed his arm.

"Yeah. I can think of something."

They resumed their walk hand in hand, wishing for a happy end for everyone.

-----

**55 hours until the final battle**

**

* * *

**

Aaaaand, that's it

It's been so long since I last updated, so all I can do it's ask for forgiveness T_T (No more excuses :P)

Thanks to NakatsuMeMi, authorwithissues, kawamoyashi and MitarashiiDango for the reviews. Thank you, people!

And another special thanks to Nikki, whom beta-edited this chapter fastly than I could hope. You're my savior! |o| _o_ |o|

Next chapter: A little time skip, bonds, and a party crasher

Chapter 13 we'll be: **Uninvited Guest**

See ya^^


	14. Uninvited Guest

In the last chapter...

"If I make it out of this-" He started, but the glare she sent him make him correct himself. "When this is over, we might need other things to wake up your brother."

She stared at him for some time and then, something clicked on her mind. Smiling wide, she squeezed his arm.

"Yeah. I can think of something."

They resumed their walk hand in hand, wishing for a happy end for everyone.

**55 hours until the final battle**

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Uninvited Guest**

While Allen and Lenalee continued their walk through the lost city, the Chinese woman eyed the people they passed by. She saw smiles, little cries, angry mothers. Her thoughts wandered to her brother and everyone back in the Order. Were they okay? Their last contact was a while now, and she couldn't help it : she was worried.

Allen noticed this, and squeezed her hand, bring her attention back to him

"Is everything okay?" He asked, his right eye showing his concern

She looked at him, a sad smile gracing her features

"I'm worried. About my brother, about our friends back in the Order…"

Allen squeezed her hand again, and said:

"I'm sure they're fine. Komui-san it's a first-rate leader. Reever-san and the others are with him too." He looked in her eyes , his hands now cradling her face "We'll be seeing them very soon, you'll see."

Lenalee face burned again. She saw Allen closing his eyes and her heart accelerated. His face was close of hers again, and she soon followed suit. This kiss was the most tender they had shared, as if Allen was trying to cast some spell on her.

As they broke off, Lenalee heard giggles and noted a group of old women looking at them. Embarrassed, she turned her look to Allen, ready to hit him for doing that in public. But the moment she saw the smile on his face, her worries vanished, and she had no other way but to trust his words.

"Al-nii!"

Allen looked at source of the call. Sean came running through the people, holding some flowers in his small hands.

"Hey, Sean" He said, picking up the boy. Then, pointing to the flowers "Who are they for?"

The small boy blushed a little. Lenalee giggled and patted his head. He seemed to like it, and smiled.

"L-Liz…"

"Ohhhh…" Allen said, mocking him. Sean pouted, and the white haired man laughed. "Then, let's give it to her right now!"

Sean's face lit up as he lifted his small arms into the air

"Yeah!"

Lenalee smiled at the scene, and soon her face colored again. With his free hand, Allen grabbed one of hers, and they set up to Liz's room. As they walked off, Allen noticed a woman looking intently at them. Deciding that it was just his imagination, he shook his head, earning a questioning look from Lenalee and Sean.

The woman saw the disappearing forms of the three and grinned.

* * *

Duval looked over a small mountain, sighing deeply. The Crow unit had walked for countless hours non-stop, and yet it seemed that they were moving in circles. With an increasing headache forming, he considered his orders and all the conversations leading to this "semi-war"

The increased funds to the Crow unit.

A growing respect for the Leverrier family in the higher ranks.

The sudden disappearance of various test subjects from inside the head quarters.

Eris's family.

He clutched his face, cursing himself for something he wasn't responsible. How could one help another if this one even knew about the other 's existence?

Evaluating his past, his options, he couldn't not think that it was, somehow, his fault. Seven years ago, the recently formatted Crow unit 3 was in a recognition mission in Greece. Several S.O.S signals were emitted to various militaries forces in the world. The messages were, mostly, incoherent, but something tied them together : "Dark Starred monsters" were visible in all of them. Supposing it was an akuma attack, the Vatican dispatched some exorcists to examine the situation.

_Reaching Atenas, the group followed to the small villages right bellow the Partenon. The tights streets were covered in blood and corpses. Whatever attacked this place was ruthless, and only wanted to kill. Suddenly, the captain of the unit heard a voice coming from one of the few intact houses. Running around to identify the source, he came across a thirteen years old girl, holding the corpse of her mother and breathing incoherent words. With wide eyes, the only understandable word he could identify was "Why?". Then, a small akuma group, barely alive, reached their position. Seeing this, the captain tried to pry the girl hands from the corpse, but she refused to cooperate. Following the captain's instructions, the entire unit formed a circle around her. _

_When the akuma were close enough to enter their attack range, the Crows sensed an enormous energy forming from inside the circle. Before they had the time to look, a red blur passed through them into the akuma group. As if in a furious rampage, covered by her mother's blood, the girl wielded an strange sword, which seemed like it was alive. The girl dove into the group, decimating the demons easily. The Crow unit was static, watching the blood fest, knowing that they were there to help, but couldn't find the will to do it. Their captain was the first to break off this hypnotic-state and rushed to the girl's side. When he reached her, she already had exterminated all the akuma. Drained by this violent outburst, she closed her eyes and fell backwards, landing roughly onto the old man's arms._

_The captain picked a handkerchief from one of his pockets, trying to clean off some of the blood from the girl's face. She opened her eyes to him, tiredly, with small tears rolling her cheeks. The man looked back to her, as if looking at his daughter, and asked:_

"_What's your name?"_

"_I… I can't remember…" The girl muttered, still lacking the proper strength to speak._

_The captain stared at her, noticing a necklace almost hidden with a picture of a Greek goddess. He then looked back at her face and spoke:_

"_My name it's Duval. I'm here to help you. Would it be ok with you to come with us… Eris?"_

"_E-Eris?" She asked, doesn't understanding the meaning of the name._

"_Yes. That's your name now. Let's go, Eris. We'll lead you to your new home…"_

_And saying that , they parted, leaving behind the godless small village at the foot of the Partenon._

After awhile, Duval thought of going back to the camp, when he heard steps behind him. A feminine voice asked:

"What are you doing?"

He looked back, spotting Eris approaching from the trees near the place they were camping. After a moment he looked away from her, and answered:

"Nothing, really… Just remembering some things…"

"Good things or bad things?" She asked, showing a 15 old girl's mischievous side for a moment.

Duval smiled, sighing. Walking to her and back to the camp, he said:

"Both of them."

* * *

Komui was tired. Very, very tired. Standing on the forest's highest hill, he considered stopping for some time. Maybe they could delay their arrival a day or so. But considering their options, it was best to move continuously. If they stopped again, he knew some of the personnel would lose the little will they still had. Looking back, it was like his life was always like this: moving forward, as if he stopped, his mind would set in other problems, and everything get out of focus.

His companions depicted the very reason of his worry: tiredness, anxiousness, fear. How could you keep a group together if you can't see what is waiting for you ahead? He heard Reever's voice, trying to cheer up their friends. The Asian branch's people were helping, while Fou tried to stop Krory's crying. Reever looked back at him and, with a thumbs up, pulled a smile out of the supervisor.

Deciding to get back, he rushed towards the camp. As he descended the hill, he was reminded of one specific conversation he had with his sister, three weeks after Allen disappeared.

"_Lenalee, you need to eat something! Please, open the door!" Komui insisted, knocking for the third time that day on his sister's door. Still, for three days she wouldn't come out. He couldn't say it, but this irritated him. To think this boy could make such an impact in Lenalee's life was like something was being ripped from him, something that was always his. Of course, she had friends, but the two of them were family, the only ones in the world. Sighing, he decided to come back some other time, but not before a sarcastic remark._

"_It's useless, and you know that. Even if you isolate yourself from the world, he's not coming back." He prepared to leave, but a loud noise in her room startled him. He reached to try opening the door, but a soft cry stopped him. Turning around and cursing himself, he made his way to his room._

A voice brought him to the present, and his flashback was interrupted.

"Komui-san, Reever-san's calling," said Lou Fa, a bit breathless. "He said that we need to keep moving."

Komui looked at her, sighed, than turned his eyes towards the sky. "I'll be right there"

Lou Fa turned back to the camp, made a motion to move, but didn't. Still in the same spot, she tried to ask:

"Humm… D-do you think that everyone will be alright? We can win this war, can't we?"

Still looking up, Komui answered.

"Sincerely, I don't know. But I can only hope for a happy ending…" he paused. "Even if it is only half of it."

She was puzzled, but didn't say anything. A blush came full force when the supervisor spoke again:

"Don't worry, at least I think that you'll see Walker again."

"H-hai!" She said, and dashed towards the camp.

Sighing, he started do climb down the hill, with a thought in his mind.

"_We're counting on you, Allen."_

* * *

Liz was observing the moon outside the window when she heard someone knocking on the door.

"It's open." She said, turning to get back in bed

When the door opened, Allen appeared, carrying Sean. Lenalee soon followed him.

"Nii-san! Sean!" She exclaimed. Allen coughed, as to remind his sister that there was one more person in the room. Embarrassed, she said, "Oh… it's good to see you too, Lenalee-san"

Lenalee giggled, and greeted her too. "You too, Liz-chan"

Allen put Sean on the floor, and the little boy soon dashed towards the bedridden girl.

"O-onee-chan… h-here…" He stuttered, trying to hand something to Liz "Fu… fulo…e.."

"Flower?" She said, and the boy blushed, handing her the flower, then rushing and hiding behind Allen.

The other three laughed, making the little boy pout. Liz thanked him:

"Thank you, Sean-kun." The boy beamed, happiness shinning through his eyes.

"Un!" He said, dashing towards her again, earning him a pat in the head.

Deciding that it was best to rest for now, Allen spoke:

"I'll take Sean to his parents. I'll be right back." Then, picking the now pouting boy up, he motioned to leave the room. "You two can chat if you want," he winked, surprising and embarrassing the two ladies. Lenalee shot him a semi-angry look, and he laughed. Before he left the room, Liz said:

"Ah… Nii-san!"

Allen looked back to her, expecting a question.

"C-could you, you know, sleep here until it's time? Please?"

He gave her a small smile, and nodded

"Ok. I can sleep on the couch…"

"N-no!" Liz said, waving her hands "T-this couch isn't very comfortable. You can sleep with me in the be-"

"THE COUCH!" The silver haired girl was interrupted by a reddish Lenalee "He'll sleep in the couch! I can sleep with you in the bed!"

The Chinese girl stopped her jealous tantrum when she realized the funny look Liz was giving her. Soon all of them were laughing. After it was set that the three of them would sleep there, Allen finally set to the Roman's house, with a sleeping boy on his arms.

Liz put the roses in a vase, beside her bed. But what no one saw was the strange glow the flowers emmited…

Two days passed without any major events. The exorcists spent their time differently.

Kanda was almost always in a separate part of the Cathedral, practicing. The grounds were used for Allen, Ray and Alice sometime ago. Even if Allen told them to rest, he wouldn't.

Ray, Lavi and Bookman were researching in the libraries, or talking with some people. Bookman never told than what he looked for, just said to search for anything related to the history of the underground city.

Link was almost a shadow of Father Lucius. The crow member knew something that he wasn't telling the others, but almost nobody had noticed. _Almost_ _nobody _didn't count Allen and Bookman, yet they didn't say anything. Link knew that they suspected something, but with the war approaching, they had other things to worry about.

Miranda and Alice were helping around the town and playing with the kids, much to the discontent of the blond girl. When she heard that Allen, Lenalee and Liz were sleeping on the same room, she stormed her way to there, almost breaking the door. Allen had lectured her, but it didn't stop the girl to knock in the middle of the night to know if something "unusual" was happening.

Allen, Lenalee and Liz were almost always together for the whole two days. Nothing like "well behaved" together. It was just that one girl couldn't let the other alone with Allen for much time. In the majority of the time, for ridiculous reasons. Even so, there was a sense of family in them that didn't go unnoticed. For the first time in one in and a half year, Allen felt peace.

Telling stories, playing cards, taking a walk, some little things that lifted a bit of the heavy burden he felt. Sometimes, Allen would seem thoughtful, contemplative. He still was waiting for the "information" he said they needed, and Tim campy was nowhere to be seen…

Strange enough, the three of them had dreamed of something they couldn't remember, or didn't want to. None of them spoke of this to the other, but Liz was the most "aware" of them. Sure, she didn't remember the dream itself, but the feelings, the emotions, where burned in her mind, together with this weird frailty she felt this past days…

With 7 hours to the final battle, they're reunited once again in Liz room. It wasn't the best place to gather, but Liz's condition affected Allen more the he let out. With all the "players" assembled, they began to planning their moves. Bookman was the first to speak, eyeing the silver haired boy with a seriousness he didn't show that often.

"Have you got the info you were waiting for?"

Allen looked at him, understanding that the old man too knew something more he wasn't telling. After a while, he spoke:

"The scientific team is waiting for our _agent's_ return. It must be almost time for him to come."

Something clicked on her head and Lenalee thought "_Ah. Tim campy."_

Seeing that nobody spoke, Allen continued, unconsciously touching lightly his eye patch:

"We can begin now. The reason that I waited these two days was specifically for this information. Father Lucius and I believe it's the key for the war, more even than the heart."

"_Exactly what we're thinking, boy." _Spoke a deep voice, that didn't belong to anyone in the room. Suddenly, a black hole appeared on the floor, and the twelfth disciple of the Noah emerged.

"It's been a while, Walker. Or shouldn't I say so?" She teased, already aware that most of the exorcists have already invocated their innocence. Smiling, the Noah spoke again:

"Aah, no, I didn't came here to fight, just talk."

Lenalee, who , together with Alice, moved to block Allen from Lulubell, said:

"You don't have any business here. If you came for Allen or Liz, we won't let you have them!"

Alice looked at her, them to the Noah, and nodded. The others made a barrier in front of the two girls. Lavi soon shouted:

"Go away! If you insist to fight here, we'll stop you!"

The Noah only giggled, which angered the short tempered ones (Kanda, Lavi and Ray). Putting a more serious face, she glared at Allen, and said:

"Don't try any funny business, Walker. _The Matriarch _was isolated a long time ago. Neither the Order or us dared to look for her. But if you're going to let her free, might as well bring her to our side. Beside, you know that, on your condition, it'll be the end… for you." She looked at his eye patch and sneered "Why are you touching this thing? Something wrong with it?"

The others turned their heads to Allen, and they saw the eye patch growing darker. Lulubell laughed, and pointed:

"This room has a nice smell… roses, perhaps?"

Liz looked to the roses beside her bed, which was glowing a dark red since the Noah came in.

Allen's visible eye widened, and he understood

"You're the lady that was observing us that time… You gave the rose to Sean, knowing that he would bring it to Liz."

"Precisely. This one is special, it exhales a perfume faint enough to go unnoticed, but powerful enough to accelerate disease processes, or _curses."_

Liz soon knew why she was feeling weaker… It was the roses perfume.

"Really, I just wanted to weaken the heart, but who would had thought that the knight would stay here too…" the Noah said "Well, I wouldn't want to spoil the Earl's fun and leave you more flimsy that you already are, so I'm taking this with me."

The rose suddenly disappeared and appeared in her hand.

"Let us meet again on the battlefield, boy. If you're still you, that is…" And, laughing, she disappeared into the floor.

Lenalee, Alice and Liz surrounded Allen, trying to see if he was in pain, but he was thoughtful and undisturbed. Bookman coughed, snapping Allen back to reality, then spoke:

"So you knew. About _her._"

He sighed "Yes. Father Lucius told me about it."

Ray asked, curious:

"Who is _her_?"

Allen sat at the bed, pinched his nose bridge and spoke:

"Much people don't know about it. Even in Order, only the very top people knew. Your brother didn't, or pretended that." He said, pointing to Lenalee. Sighing, he continued "The Earl said that he is the first apostle, but it isn't totally correct. The most correct would be "the first son" "

Bookman took the word and spoke:

"The secret registries appoint to a family sense in the Noah bigger than brothers. It has the head of the family and his partner, going down to 14 children separated by 'memories'."

"Y-you mean…" Lavi stuttered.

"Yes."

"The Noah had a father and a mother." Link completed, half amazed by the way this conversation was going.

Allen spoke again:

"Before the Last Great War, a man gifted by God with the Heart, was given a task to assist in making the next generation of mankind, which would populated the Earth after the Great Flood. This man travelled for a long time to find a suitable partner. So, he arrived in the most isolated island in the world, which was ruled by a witch. The witch agreed to bore his children, but he was to give her the Heart in the end. The man agreed, but soon after the 14th child was born, the man sealed the witch in the mountain, breaking their agreement. The witch cursed the man, saying that his offspring would turn against him and rule the Earth until she could be free. The man took the maternal feeling that the witch had and restructured the seal, so she could be reborn as a good person. The first son entered a conflict with his father, but couldn't won over him. Soon after, the man separated 108 parts of his power and scattered through the world. Then, the Great Flood happened and wiped out the Earth, dissolving the 14 children and making them reborn in another times. When the Box of Pandora was found, the seal opened and the witch was reborn as good person. She holds the power to stop the Noah, seal the Box and end the war."

Everyone, aside for Lucius, Allen and Bookman, was stunned by the story. It was much more deep that they had knew. Link was the first to spoke:

"So, _The Matriarch _is…"

Allen nodded, them completed:

"… the mother of the Noah. Morganna Faux."

* * *

Unaware of the events in the Cathedral, two fronts of the war came face to face on the plane fields of Blackburn.

The Noah and the New Exorcists had arrived at the battlefield.

* * *

I don't have excuses. Things happened, mostly personal ones, and I've through a rough phase as a writer. But I couldn't give up, so here am I again.

For all of you whom had the patience to wait, thank you very much. All this support give me the strenght I need.

Now, for our list of thanks xP

**To Aurora Blacke**:

Glad you like the story. And I'm sorry for not updating for so long. But things I'll be different from now on. =)

**To Orange Nakatsu**:

Thanks! Regarding Komui, I've to put that joke. I couldn't resist! And happy new year for you too! (For 2010 and 2011 respectively , and sorry for the lateness)

**To zutarababe**:

It's my style to put the romantic aspect of my couples, as in the original work we can't see too much of it. Stay tunned for the next chap!

**To kawamoyashi**:

Unfortunately, I'm too much late with this chapter ;_; . Sorry! But I'll try with all my might to put the next one online as soon as possible! Thanks!

**To MitarashiiDango**:

Again, sorry for the lateness. Thank you for put it up with me! I'm glad you like the "suspicious" aspect of this fic! Thanks and read it until the end!

**To Nikki**:

I'm a bit sad that you can't help with the story anymore, but I know you've your reasons, and I'm cheering for you! Thank you for everything until now, and I expect, if you can, at least some reviews in the future!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Author's note 1: I'm looking for beta readers with good english to help. If you can help the story, send me a pm!

Author's note 2: From now on, the abilities of the other Noahs will be a bit different than the ones showed on the manga. Same goes to the New Exorcist and our heroes.

Next chapter: Shocking revelations, running against time e a blood stained battlefield

Chapter 14 will be: **Ingenious Strategy**

See ya ^^


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